Frozen Memories
by Queen Awinita
Summary: "It used to be when people spoke about magic we laughed them off, or locked them up, sometimes both, but we never took them seriously. Maybe we should have. But I am getting ahead of myself, let me start at the beginning, with Elsa. The Templars have the upper hand. Who will protect the Heart of the Mountain, it all boils down to them, Elsa & Mark, they have brought us to the end"
1. Seqeunce 1 Memory 1

_**The Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **IV**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Sequence 01**_

 ** _Memory 01: Mail Call_**

 **12 June 2050**

 **CIA Headquarters**

 **Langley W.V./b**

 **0303 hours**

All was quiet as a hooded man stepped into the building, moving through various crowds of people the man made his way, without being noticed completely, towards the postal center. A hand lead the way for him, so to speak. He looked both ways to make sure he was not seen and then ducked under the deviding wall partition and stole into the massive storeroom that housed the mail to be sorted.

He was told to look for a box the size of a large shoebox, a cooler, cold to the touch and most likely frosting things around it. He was warned the object was going to be cold. But he took no chances, easily slipping on thick brown gloves as he slipped through the vast halls looking for the object of interest. He saw a postal worker with heavy gloves on and listened in to the conversation carefully.

"Man that thing was cold!" The man complained, "felt it even through my gloves! What's in there ?"

"Wish I knew, but we can't go poking around inside the mail for those in the upper echelons of offices upstairs now can we" Said the second man. "Besides, if we even so much as ask what's in the thing, for all we know we could get killed for asking."

"Good point there. Come on, lets record it, the thing has a pay on delivery notice, so, lets see who this goes to." The two men moved off. Allowing the hooded man to see his target goal, stuff around the item was frosted over with a thin layer of ice. The hooded man smiled, Elsa still had it in her. He moved closer to the item and took off his gloves, the ice faded away, leaving not a mark or wetness around it as he picked the item up, it was light, but still cool to the touch. It was time to go. He disappeared quickly as if he had never been there.

 _100 hours_

"Get me some answers people." A voice crowed out as the servy control floor went active. People typed on keyboards, phoneboards, even hologramboards. The wall lit up with information. "Postal Service Marked us with a Pay On Delivery notice. Our problem, we never got what was coming to us."

"OK" A man spoke up, "According to this, a package locked into a small cooler of some form, liquid nitrogen I can only assume, was received by internal Postal Services at three oh seven am this morning. Two seconds later it disappeared. We've no idea what was inside the cooler. Reported as freezing cold upon touching and anything near it was frosted with a thin layer of ice."

"And now its missing. Alright, get it on screen, bring up the time the device arrived to the time it disappeared. On screen where the device, whatever it was, had been placed within Internal Postal Services." The man said, being in charge made things slightly harder for John Morshank, the veteran CIA directive agent was a unique man about town.

Some typing and a voice were heard "I got CCTVs in the IPS on screen... now" as the voice said now, six screens appeared showing various locations. "Located the device, whatever it is. Ambient room tempertures dropped remarkably when the device was set down on that table." One of the screens was focused on a table where the frozen over item was set.

"Would you look at that" Ice formed, in realtime, on the screen as if spreading from the device set on the table, a thin layer of frost covered up to a meter around it in crystal whiteness. Apparently none of those agents had ever seen such a thing.

"Device was on the table indicated for less then five minutes." Said a voice, The men watched as the ice spread to a full meter in circle before receeding and completely disappearing as the device completely disappeared from sight as it was picked up by something completely unseen.

"What happened there. Get me thermals, get me everything. What is going on in that room ?" Said Morshank.

"Device was picked up before disappearing, room temperture returned to ambient levels of normal averages within five minutes of the devices disappearnce. Theft was reported ten minutes later."

"I want this building searched carefully, top to bottom, leave nothing out." Morshank ordered. When he ordered something, things got into motion.

 **Assassin Brotherhood Den**

 **Lansing Michigan USA**

 _1200 hours_

Hoodwith drawn Matt smiled, finally it had arrived, _What happened Elsa, what happened to have you send it this way ? Why not cause another heavy storm ?_ He wondered briefly before typing in the code on the box. Activating it with a ancient Assassin code he opened it.

His heart stopped

Inside the ice coated, freezing cold box was a ice encased item.

Reaching in as the ice receeded he activated a communications panel. "Homebase this is Lansing Den come in."

" _Home base here_ " Came a reply as several people apepared on the holographic screen on the wall. " _Lansing, good to hear from you, what gives for a call at this hour ?_ " Apparently the woman on the other end had no idea what was going on. First thing in the morning phonecall.

"This" Matt held up the frozen item. "I picked it up this morning, Elsa's work for certain. I do not recognise the blade within this ice however. Something must be going on." He said

The woman activated a few other screens, on the wall six others appeared, a eight screenwall conference. Snowfeather was on screen three with her twin sister Blackmane, Munkus was on Screen Zero with Taku, and there was Voalle on screen five. " _Lansing, I hope this is important enough... wait. Elsa, what now ?_ " The last time there was trouble at Arenedelle was when Hans tried to take over in the everwinter event. They had intercepted the Weaslton ship with Hans aboard and questioned the man carefully, even the duke was questioned carefully.

"Dunno, but if Elsa sent this blade encased in ice, then we got a problem, it went to the CIA HQ down in Langley. I had to get it out of there, thankfully, those static field generators worked perfectly. I was never noticed and nothing was tripped either. As far as the CIA know, I never was there." Matt replied.

Snowfeather looked over the blade carefully, " _Lansing_ " She said on her screen " _Activate a transport array, I think I recognise the blade type._ " As she spoke she flicked her rist out, two fingers cut through t he air, drawing a few lines with runes appearing in a ring around the design. Five points were then pressed upon.

Matt did the same. "Transportation array activated, item is back in its box and... _sent away_ " He said.

On Snowfeathers screen Matt watched as Snowfeather activated a brief heat spell and melted the ice off the blade. Everyone stared both on the screens and off them.

The blade was none other then Blackmanes lost dagger. A dagger she had lost nearly three hundred and fifty years before. When the Queen of Arenedelle, Marissa, the great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother of Elsa and Anna, her husband the King Joseph was king at the same time that Blackmane was stationed at the Assassin Den there. She had made friends with the Queen, to the point of being her personal bodyguard. As a sign of trust, Blackmane gave Marissa her dagger. Saying that if Marissa did not trust the Assassin, she was to kill the Assassin. But if she could trust the Assassin, keep the dagger until dire need to defend one self arose.

That was the last Blackmane saw the dagger. Marissa carried it on her for nearly a year, but never used it. Now it was in her grasp once more. Frozen solid. The weapon had hung over the thrones of the King and Queen at the Castle of Arendelle for countless years since Marissa had placed it there.

At seeing the weapon Blackmane stood up, "I need a moment" She told her sister, Snowfeather then turned to Matt and the others, "Everyone but Lansing, Sign off." She said sternly, a look was given to Munkus, who nodded, he was going to be seeing Blackmane that evening for certain.

As soon as Blackmane had left and everyone signed off, Snowfeather spoke, "Good work on the pick up Lansing. As of right now you are the closest den to Arendelle Den. Apparently we lost contact with that den, or something else occurred for the queen to send the package to us in this manner, you mentioned a name. Elsa, what does it mean ? Who is this, Elsa ?"

" _From what I can tell, Cairo, Elsa is the new queen, you recall the news we got from CNN and other sources years ago. A ship went down, lost pretty much everyone. Two survivors, one died in the medical center, the other was committed due to insanity._ " In truth Michaels was safe and sound. In fact Matt knew exactly where Michaels was. " _You want my thoughts Cairo, here they are: Send me. I will meet with our Den there in Arenedelle._ "

"No, I have a better idea, stay put, we need more recruits in your area. Lansing is strong yes, but Detroit is just starting to lose Templar Control. Munkus wants Detroit taken by the Brotherhood and kept under our control." Snowfeather said. Munkus had made it clear that Michigan was a vital trade zone. The Big Three Automakers resided in that area alone.

Matt nodded, " _Yes ma'am, but still I insist I want to go back there._ " Snowfeather knew also where Michaels was, haunted by memories of the deaths of two wonderful people, parents to two girls in Arenedelle in Norway. " _I want to see them again._ "

Snowfeather thought a long moment before speaking "I know that Mike. I know you want to see your friends again. But now is not the time. Now is the time to focus on the present." Snowfeather looked to the edge of her screen. Blackmane wanted her. She turned back to Matt. " _Mike, do me a favor, finish the contracts in the area currently alive for pickup and running, soon as they are done, make ready to travel. Soon as your contracts are complete there in Lansing, you're going to Arenedelle. Cairo out._ " The screen died.

Matt smiled, his job for the moment was done, now all he had to do was six contracts, finishing them was going to be a pain though. He wanted to go to Arenedelle. He wanted to see Elsa. His friend. He snapped his left hand fingers, producing an icicle with many spikes, memories flooded to the forefront of his mind. He was called upon, he recalled not so fondly, to help teach a certain princess control after harming her sister on complete accident. He did his best, using his own powers to aid her in keeping control of her ablities. She learned well enough, quicker then he expected for that matter.

But the only thing of all he could remember of Elsa other than her name; was her eyes, brilliant crystal clear blue.

 **Cario Egpyt**

 **Assassin Headquarters Den**

Blackmane entered her living room and for a long moment stared out the front window. Staring at nothing. Remembering the past.

 _A woman, Marissa, recently crowned queen, the target of a Templar plot, a plot that Blackmane had ended before it could begin. As a result, Marissa was worried of who to trust._

 _"Here" Blackmane said, withdrawing from her belt, a dagger with the Assassin Brotherhood design etched deep into its hilt. "Hold onto this."_

 _Upon taking the weapon Marissa was confused. "But Mane. Why give this to me ? This is your weapon, not mine." She said. Clearly cofused, and now more then anything, not trusting the Assassin after experiencing the way Blackmane fought off the attackers so skillfully. With a puny dagger not even Marissa could stand a chance._

 _"Because I trust you." Blackmane replied._

 _"How can I trust you" Marissa asked, pointing the dagger, as if to stab Blackmane in the face._

 _Blackmane never moved, though she did step closer to the blade tip, moving so it aimed for the neck instead of her nose. "If you do not trust me, then use the dagger, slice my throat here. And then bury me in a watery grave." Blackmane said._

 _For a long moment, Marissa stood in her chambers, the dagger just barely cutting a thin line on Blackmanes unmarked skin. For a long moment niether of the two women spoke. Finally Marissa let go of the dagger, it dropped with a sickening THUNK into the dead templar guards body as Marissa hugged Blackmane tightly. Blackmane was at first shocked, then she hugged the queen in return._

 _Marissa said softly into Blackmanes ear. "I am so so sorry, for not trusting you when I shoud have. I trust you, not because you just saved my life. But because I love you as a friend. If I could have a sister. She'd be you." The two women pulled apart as the doors opened and the King rushed in with several guards._

 _Marissa turned towards her husband as Blackmane stepped back and bowed deeply to the King at his arrival. "Marissa!" Joseph said taking his wife into one hell of a liplock. He looked up from his wife as the two hugged and looked towards Blackmane as the guards stood around them, most of them having their weapons pointed at her ready for use. "Blackmane ? Were you ?"_

 _Blackmane nodded, but did not look up. "Yes, your highness, I did not much like how some of the guards were acting, I stole into your chambers during the changing of the guard to see what was going on. I am now glad I did so. Had I not, you would have lost your wife just now to this man." Her foot kicked at the deceased on the floor._

 _"We are in your debt." Joseph said, npodding to the guards. "Leave her be, she is a honor guard just like the rest of you, part of our family. A Princess of Arenedelle. Our saviour. Our friend."_

 _Blackmane bowed deeply, "Thank you, your highness. I am honored. But I do not think I deserve such honor among your family. I am not of royal blood. I am but a humble woman that works in the darkness to serve the light, I protect those I see from those that wish to harm and control without mercy."_

 _"An honorable cause Blackmane, tell me, what master do you serve ?" Joseph asked._

 _"I serve no master, but a Mentor and teacher, none of us are masters, unless it is in death, protection, justice, honor." Blackmane replied._

 _"You have a creed to live by, a code of laws to honor, a good cause to be sure." Joseph replied. The older man was very understanding and once the body was removed and the dagger handed, hilt first, to Blackmane. There was silence._

 _For a very long moment the Assassin did not move, then the Assassin instead took the weapon and flicked it around, so now it was held, hilt first towards the king and queen. Blackmane went to one knee, holding the weapon out. "My lords." Blackmane said, her head bowed, the weapon held out. "Although you give me a great honor, I cannot accept it. Instead I request that you take this dagger and keep it. In a time of dire need, have it taken by messenger, you will know where to send it when the time comes. When it is received, I or one of my own will come, bearing this dagger as a summons to here to aid you in your time of need. Please, accept this dagger for such a use. It may not be in your time when it is needed, but soon I fear, I or one of my own will be returning here. Keep it within your family as an heirloom with a legend, a myth."_

 _Marissa let go of her husband and stepped forwards. Taking hold of the dagger she bid Blackmane to stand. Turning to her husband she said. "I think that is what we shall do. Keep this dagger above the throne. Never to be used unless in dire need. We can tell it to our daughters, a story before sleep perhaps when they are old enough to listen."_

 _Joseph nodded after a long moment. "Very well. Blackmane, I want to thank you personally for saving my wife. If it were not for your following your gut feelings, then I would have lost her, and my daughters their mother." He said. As he spoke he stepped forwards, taking both women into a hug. "For now, please, stay and have something to eat at the very least before your journey." Blackmane accepted the offer._

The memory faded. Back in the present Blackmane shook away the tears. She had gotten word from the Arendelle Guild that Marissa and Joseph had passed away a day apart shortly before their elder daughter became Queen when she married her husband. Blackmane put her hands to her face. Tears streaked from her eyes, leaving trails on her face.

Her looked towards the frozen dagger, using her own powers over ice she called the item to her and broke the ice seal. As she did so, a note fell from the blade. It had her name. And also that of Matt Michaels.

 **CIA Headquarters**

 **Langley VA.**

"Sir. You are going to want to get a look at this." A man at the computers said, he brought up on the main screen a series of CCTV screens. One of them playing back of five minutes before.

"What am I looking at ?" Morshank asked. His eyes flickering from one camera view to the next.

"Take a close look at these doors, that there." The screen focused.

"Jesus Christ." Morshank said, swearing loudly. "That is Matthew Michaels." He said

"Sir ?" The man replied, clearly confused.

"Matt Michaels, do a search on him, twenty something years ago a ship went down in stormy waters. Only two survivors were rescued. Of those two one lived, put on ICE. Literally and figurtively." Morshank said.

"I got it sir, Fifth June 1980, Ship went down, two survivors were rescued, one later died upon arrival to the hospital the other was paranoid and locked away, next day the man disappeared in an icestorm that had knocked out the power. He disappeared off the grid for about a month befor his passport was pinged upon returning to America, apparently without any hinderence the man was allowed to return to Lansing where he currently resides." Said an aid.

"Anything else ?" Morshank said.

"Yes, the man once more disappeared off the grid for many years, never using a credit card or even a computer until five years after his return to Lansing area. He took on the nickname Lugnut because of his strength, skills and his favorite minors team, The Lansing Lugnuts."

"Any pictures ?" Several images appeared on the wall screen. Morshank moved over to it and studied each one. Only one image he recognised, the rest he did not. Only one image had Michaels face visible, the rest were all covered with a hood of some form that allowed only his nose and mouth to be seen. _that is all we need_ Morshank thought. "What else do we have on this guy anything recent ?"

"Just this, he purchased a plane ticket using a prepaid credit card, round trip, Flight out to DC in the evening, flight back to Detroit by dawn the next day." Came an answer.

"He's our thief then ? Can we get thermal matchup ?"

"Static fields prevented a solid lock, but this was recorded on the entry pad. A few random numbers, seven one one eight, three Alpha Delta November nine zero one. An older code but it checked out and he was allowed entry. Apparently it was a high level code because it allowed him access to anywhere."

"Can it be locked out ?"

"No sir, that's CIA topline code access to do that, this man is apparently well skilled or smarter then we think, also deadly. Area temperture around the keypad suggested that something cold caused it to recognise the codec without pausing or anyform of delay."

"Anything else ?"

"Sir, according to reports of the lockdown, the icestorm was caused out of the blue, the area never gets ice let alone a storm of it. They thought it was triggered by something, some sort of weather machine or some such. They never found his body, power was out for about a day. When it came back up. He was the only one missing."

"He's not missing any more, he was given a code of some form from someone or somewhere. Don't know who, don't know why. All I know is, this man was here, he's got our package." Morshank thought a moment, then called out to everyone . "Alright, everything stops, everything, stops, numbers, this half of the room, numbers, find out who gave this string of numbers to a man known as Matt Michaels." he rattled off the numbers and letters again, then he turned to the other half of the room, "This half, find out what was in the package and where it was sent from. Lets move it people."

The half of the room with the numbers got busy, rattling off a few of them, one of the number combinations was for Guam, the other a zip code in Ohio, another said it was a star designation in the norther Orion Belt of the Milky Way. Still another said it was an address for a fabric company in Spain. Morshank listed everything.

On the other half of the room the staff went nuts. One rattled off an adress note from the IPS downstairs. Another rattled off six different locations with that zip code, finally one thing rang a bell. Someone said "Arendelle" that got Morshanks attention. "What was that ?" He asked.

"Arendelle, that is the place listed that comes up on the list of addresses held by the USPS, somewhere in northern Norway."

"Bring up the sinking of a ship that had Matthew Michaels onboard. Main screen." Soon as it was on the screen Morshank went through it carefully Flicking his hand through the pages he found he setlled on what he sought. He stared at the headline that stared back at him.

" **Man escapes insane asylum during snow storm, body never found. Police search yields nothing.** " With it was four more. " **Sole survivior of shipwreck placed in protective custody escapes during ice storm"** , " **Police issue statement, second survivor rescued from shipwreck in Ukraine seaside dies in hospital IC Unit** ," **Hunt for missing insane paitent called off due to severe weather. Police hand over investigation to local Customs."** and finally. " **Missing man pops up on radar upon entering America after one month of being unfound. Escsapes protective custody at Customs Officals Office at Detroit Metro Airport. Man rumored to be sole surivivor of shipwreck off Ukraine one month before."**

"Alright people we got us a National Security Situation on our hands. Matt Michaels, this man, is still alive, he was here. In this building, what was in the box mailed to us, anyone ?"

"Sir, according to Xray scanners, a single item was inside the box, due to the temperture it is impossible that the item can be used if at all due to the extreme cold it was within." Said a man at computer.

"What was in the box ? Bring up the Xray imaging" Morshank ordered.

"Xray Imaging is... online." two seconds later everyone stared at the dagger. The hiddenblade. Something none had ever seen before except in some news reports long rumored to have exsisted.

"It can't be" Said Morshank. "Contact all local bases and locales in Norway Ukraine and similar locations. Have them on the look out for items mailed out of their country with the same xray imaging. Move it people."


	2. Seqeunce 1 Memory 2

_**The Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **IV**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Sequence 01**_

 _ **Memory 02: Welcome to Arendelle {Part 1}**_

 **21 June 2050**

 **Arendelle Docks**

 **Daybreak**

The rain fell in sheets; in many cases it was falling sideways. A torrent of rainfall that seemed to never end. The rain was a welcome relief; the sole being not working on the ship to keep it on a proper heading was undisturbed as the crew worked to keep the ship steady. Blackmane had her hood up, covering her face from the heavy rainfall; she wore her hidden dagger attachment at her side rather then upon her right wrist. She was thankful for the storm as she had seen the fort well before the fort had seen the ship and had conjured up the storm in order to mask their approach before anything was noted as amiss.

Templars had controlled it for as long as Blackmane could remember. So now was a chance for some payback. She had the crew ready the canonnade; once the broadside was ready and aimed she ordered the fire of the broadside, a full three ten gun salute at the templar held fort. Destroying but one of the four turrets the fort possessed. It was time to clear the waters to Arendelle, and she knew just how to do it.

So she called up the storm. Keeping a steady straight path for the most part in the direction to go. While she focused the primary part of the storm on the fort. Wrecking it with wind and rainfall. Even a tornado or two was sprung from nowhere. Blasting apart the fort with relentless fury. All the while she directed the ship along calm waters with only smatterings of rainfall hitting the ship.

However, the storm was required at the time at Arendelle as it had not rained in nearly a week. So the rain continued to fall even after the templar held fort was destroyed by the storm. The storm faded away but the rain remained. Falling heavily as the ship docked.

The gangway was put into place, as it was lowered from the ship, Blackmane, dark multicolored hooded robe and all, exited the ship. As the gangplank hit the ground, Blackmane stepped off it lightly. As she stepped away from the ship, a large man stepped into view, holding an umbrella, the man appeared to be the welcoming committee. The Assassin flag whipped around in the driving rain and wind before just flapping lazily in the rainfall as the wind died down.

As Blackmane stepped into view of a portly looking man with a large umbrella open keeping dry he held it out as Blackmane neared him. The smoke colored cloth of the Assassin was soaking wet. "Welcome to Arendelle madam." The man said. "May I ask of your business here in our fair kingdom ?"

Without removing her hood, Blackmane withdrew an item. Queen Elsa's crest. The silver and green snowflake of ice shards in all directions flickered as rain fell on it. Frosting the rainfall. "I am expected." Was all Blackmane said. Rather then pester the hooded woman, the portly fellow nodded.

"So you are expected by the Queen ? Very well, please, follow the walkway from the docks through town on the main street; the castle gates have been open now for a few months." The man told her giving directions. Arendelle had grown since Elsa became queen. Ageless the city was. It felt like only a few years had passed since events occurred there for Blackmane to be there.

She waited a few moments as her horse, a massive Egyptian steed was lete off the ship. There was no saddle as the horse refused to wear one. Springly lightly up, Blackmane took hold of the riens and the horse trotted off into the rain towards the castle gates.

She mentally went over her task list; Find the Queen, see why the dagger was sent out. And then find the den in the city below the castle. She rode the massive horse up the lane, feeling eyes on her from many directions as she rode along at a good speed. She never saw where the eyes came, yet she did feel many pairs, young and old, all of them curious and some of them somewhat scared of the dark cloaked and hooded stranger on a massive black horse was doing in town. They had every right to wonder, Blackmane however was going to let her actions speak for herself.

By the time Blackmane got into town from the docks after getting her horse; it was already nearing midmorning. But with the rain, it was hard for Blackmane to judge the daylight

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Midmorning**

"You are starting to scare me when you experiment like that" Came a slightly scared yet struck with awe at the ice sword reshaping itself at random points, smooth on one side, jagged sharp on the edges, cracks of ice everywhere. Elsa was getting better at it. But it scared her sister Anna just enough to make the younger Princess worry that her sister was playing with too much ice.

"Sorry." Elsa replied almost too excited with her ice experimenting. She knew ice could hurt; long jagged spikes she had made, and was used to making, which Kristoff had cutup into nicely shaped blocks and bricks to sell. Anything he made Elsa insisted he keep the money from selling the ice with a yearly tax of a few gold or a dozen silver coins. Most of the time Kristoff donated silver coins to events at the Castle, once a year there were exactly fifteen gold coins ini the tax review from Kristoff. Elsa never pestered him, but he always came through for her sister.

"Can't help it" Elsa said as all sorts of designs formed on the ice, she found a nice shape she liked off one of the snowflakes and tried to mimic it in the sword design. Shards of snow and ice formed and shrank and then expanded into multiples. Soon a beautiful glasslike sword was stuck in the dead center of the dining room table. "What do you guys think ?" Elsa asked. The sword was beautiful in design. As if it had fallen off a massive snowflake.

"I think it needs a warm hug!" Said Olaf who was watching with his wide barely blinking eyes at the beauty of creation as Elsa made the sword blade, then the hilt was formed. His comment made Elsa smile as she formed the hilt of the sword. A perfect design to fit her hands without harm.

"Wow" Anna said seeing the shape of the sword, the blade was long and every flat looking, yet she could see that it was sharp, possibly sharper than anything in their castles armory downstairs! "It looks almost like it fell off a snowflake." She said as she watched the hilt form from the ice. It was almost as if it were being created from her sisters own thoughts!

"I think so too." Elsa agreed. Then she held out her hand, the ice sword floated from the table, its long point rebuilding itself as it was lifted from the wood of the table, not leaving any damage to the timber as Elsa called it to her hands. She caught the sword, it was very light, yet made of ice it had some weight to it and would most likely shatter upon imact with anything. iUnless Matt were here, he taught me how to do this, I'm glad I remembered seeing him do it, if only I didn;t have to send away that mythic item from the throne room./i Elsa recalled encasing the dagger that hung over her throne in the other room in ice and then sending it by messenger out of the country a month before. Did it ever get to its destination ?

Elsa looked towards a blood mark on the floor near the kitchen door, a man had tried to kill Kirstoff before she had implaed the guy with a ice spike, saving Kristoff and her sister as well as herself from the strange man. Artim was unable to find out why the man was there and what he wanted, and why he threatened Kristoff, Elsa was never able to figure out either. The blood was still there, she could still see it, sense it. Even though the blood was cleaned up rather carefully by the many servants and maids that thought the area uncleanable, they cleaned it twice a day since the untimely event occurred.

Elsa remembered when Matthew first arrived at Arendelle all those years before, it seemed like a dream, when it was really only seven or so years ? She had no idea how much time had passed outside Arendelle, it was as if the kingdom had timelocked itself away from the rest of the world. Matthew was an older man, ten years older than herself. His ice white eyes she could see had snowflakes in them. Though she figured at the time it was a trick of the light on his eyes. She couldn't have been more wrong

It did not matter. Matthew, she was told upon being introduced to him all those years before, was there at her request for someone to help her with her abilites. Matthew she learned, had the same abilities she possessed. And help her he did. He showed her first what he could do. And what she could do if she put her mind to it. Hence her Ice Palace at the North Mountain.

She remembered Matthew making himself a majestic sword out of naught but ice crystals with his abilities. Teaching her was to be an easy task, he said, because all she had to want from him, was to learn. And want to learn she did. Matthew however was in Arendelle for little more than a month when the teenage Elsa had caught his eyes. And his frozen heart. Something about her had made the man become more involved in her studies. Teaching her to defend and to attack with her abilites, and best of all, how to make creatures out of her abilites.

Matthew had made a ice critter of some kind, thing was smaller than a cat, but was all bone and no fur, just glassy bones of ice. It was quiet, but it was also scary. Matthew had also intensionally struck at her with his own powers, and insisted she do the same at him. She had defended out of fear. But now when he insisted she strike with her power at him the way he had struck at her. She began to learn that Matthew was indeed teaching her. But she still had a lot to learn.

Because when she turned nineteen, something about Matthew struck her heart solid. It might have been those snowflakes for eyes. Or maybe it was how his sword, as majestic and sharp the ice weapon was that formed from his hands caught her unawares. But somehow, she pined for him. Something about him made her want him. But she knew it was impossible. She had to let him go. But he was focused on teaching her to control her powers.

Then came the news after he left with her parents on that ill fated trip. Unwanted for any of them to leave, the storm had completely ruined her young life. With the loss of her mother and father, Elsa was thrust into command pretty much on the spot, the servants turning to her for orders constantaly. None even to teach her to help control her abilites, with the loss of her parents she had forgotten everything Matthew had taugh her. She thought him dead, since he too had gone with her parents with the promise that he'd return to finish her training. So why was she remembering him making swords out of ice ?

She was jolted from her memory trip as lightning cracked across the sky as the door opened, Kai stood there, he looked shaken. He hurried over to where Elsa stood from her seat. "Kai, what is it ?"

"Your highness, A hooded stranger has arrived on horseback. The stranger carries your crest in her hands. She wishes to speak with you, said she was expected." Kai said as he observed Elsa trading looks with her sister as Kristoff stood from his seat quickly as Kai looked about to faint and held the bulter steady on his feet.

"Where did you send the dagger ?" Anna asked quietly to Elsa.

"I just sent it out, I followed the myth like you said, 'Send it out, you will know where, worry not of where it lands, but it will summon those that defended our family in the past to defend the kingdom and royal family as it had before it hung over the throne.'" Elsa repeated the last line of the legend, the bedtime story the two were told nightly by their parents when they here children years before. Her heart broke a little more rebemering her mother and father, and Matthew.

"You think this stranger carrying the Crest of Mom and Dad could be that one mentioned in the story ? The one to defend us ?" Anna said. Or was the cloaked stranger someone to defend them like the legend said ? Not the same person but someone within that group as promised through the tale itself.

"Possible." Elsa replied, she turned to Kai, "Where is the stranger now ?"

"She is waiting outside,... uh...She is waiting in the throne room, shall I send her here ?" Kai replied.

"No, I'll go to her. She carries the crest of my parents. Therefore, she is exepcted indeed." Elsa replied. She turned to Anna and Kristoff while picking up her sword. "If anything happens, you two know what to do."

"Yes, exactly as before with that other dork." Anna said, jerking her thumb where her sister had spiked a dark robed man in the heart only a month before. With that Elsa smiled, her sister could find humor in any situation. Even when that dork had tried to take her family down, Anna found humor there. Of course it was hilarous when Olaf got knocked all over the dining room. Elsa easily put him back together without too much of a problem. The fact that Olaf's head was stuck to the ceiling made it slightly harder since the ceiling of the dining room was solid ice expertly carved out to repair damage she had done almost a decade before.

Elsa smiled again and turned and left the dining room, ice sword in hand. Anna and Kristoff knew to wait two minutes before going to the door to listen for trouble before busting in to save Elsa. Which they mostly had when the honkin' dork tried to off Kristoff that last time.

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Throne Room**

 **Noon**

The rain continued to hammer on the rooftops, as the thunder roiled one last time before moving off. The rain soon calmed to a gentle sprinkle that was common. Occasional storms were few and far between. Blackmane stood in the center of the throne room, staring at the throne, where her dagger once hung above the two tall high-backed chairs was a few lines of wire, nothing held on the strange plauqe that hung there. Suspended in air by nothing, had the Jellicle not seen the wires holding the plaque up in the air, she'd have thought it a mythic device holding it in the air. But the Jellicle's Vision gave away the wires easily.

She stood unmoving in the center of the room. Frost fell off the crest frozen in her left hand. She had all sorts of weapons on her. Yet she only held the Crest of Arendelle in her hand. Her hood covered her face; keeping it unseen save for nose and mouth. Though she was armed and ready, be it with spells or weapons of steel, Blackmane was there because she was summoned as promised to Marissa. iFor you Marissa, I will do anything/i Blackmane thought silently, honoring the passing of her dear friend.

She heard the door open and footsteps entered. Something was also dragged ? No not dragged, carried easily. Blackmane never turned as the footsteps halted and the door was closed. But, Blackmane noticed by the lack of sound, it was not locked as it was shut. The footsteps then came closer to Blackmane before stopping, Blackmane was unable to gauge how far from herself the other person was until Elsa spoke up.

"You carry the crest of Arendelle, stranger. Yet you come unannounced. Why ?" Elsa asked. She stepped forwards, around Blackmane, the smoke colored hooded woman never turned nor moved, yet her gaze easily followed Elsa as the Queen moved around to face Blackmane from the front. "Who are you stranger ? Why have you come ?"

"I came because I was summoned." Blackmane then withdrew the dagger attachment then from her left sleeve with her free hand. Holding it out, hilt first for Elsa to take as she spoke. "Legend tells of a dagger, kept for generations over the throne of Arendelle that, when sent forth, it would summon a protector, a saviour, someone to trust. This was told to your great great great grandmother three hundred and fifty years ago was it not ?"

Elsa nodded slowly "So goes the story. It was told to my great great grandmother, and then to my great grandmother, grandmother, and mother, and then to I and my sister as children; how do you know of it ? Who are you ?" Elsa replied in confusion.

"Three hundred and fifty years ago a plot was sprung and a plot was foiled. It was sprung against your ancestors, and it was foiled at the same time by this dagger. This dagger ended the plot that could have ended your family line." Blackmane replied, Elsa, reached out and took the dagger. Inspecting it carefully as Blackmane removed her hood. Elsa easily recognised the Arendelle crest upon the dagger blade. Seemingly emblazoned upon the blade or eteched carefully into the metal. "The dagger was to summon those who would protect the kingdom and the royal family. Thus it was proclaimed. And thus the legend began that very next night."

Holding the dagger in her hand as the sword of ice floated in the air as she let it free of her right hand, Elsa spoke as she examined the hidden-blade carefully. "How do you know of the story so much ? Were you told it as a child as well ?"

"Far from it; it was I who complelled your ancestors to begin it long ago." Blackmane replied. "You see, in the original telling of the tale told by your ancestors to your ancestors was of a woman named Blackmane, of an ancient order that worked in the dark to serve the light, she had saved your ancestors life, and in a way, your own. In sending out that dagger, Blackmane, or one of her bretheren would arrive with the dagger and Royal Seal as summoned. Therefore, I have arrived as promised."

"Wait a second!" A voice broke in. It was Anna, Blackmane hadn't heard her enter. Stepping up next to her sister, Anna continued speaking while Elsa inspected the dagger carefully, pale fingers tracing the Arendelle crest upon the weapon. "How could you have possibly known about the story ? Let alone tell our ancestors about it ?"

"I was there." Blackmane replied. "I told those who lead, whose lives I saved, your ancestors; to keep my dagger as a sign of trust and truth. And in the event of dire need to send it out to summon those it represents." Blackmane said to Anna, turning to Elsa who still held the dagger, "You sent it out, and therefore, you summoned me. How may I and those I represent serve you ?"

Anna looked confused at what the robed blackhaired woman was saying, Unable to make sense of it all she spoke up before Elsa could speak. "Wait a minute!" Anna said, jarring her sister from her thoughts, "You're telling us that you were here three hundred plus years ago ? That's impossible, you should be dead by now, if you're four hundred, you don't look it."

"Anna!" Elsa hissed softly. Though it was true, Elsa did not understand any of it, nothing of what she was told as a child with her sister. Elsa turned towards Blackmane, Without thinking it the ice sword sprang to her hand and she held it towards Blackmane. "Since you carry my parents crest, and this weapon, until I know I can trust you, I want you to tell me one thing."

"Ask it." Blackmane said, her memories bringing up Marissa in Elsa's place, only her hidden blade dagger attachment in place of a sword made of ice. "What ever it is you wish me to tell you, I will tell to the best of my skill."

The ice tip of the sword edged closer as Anna stared, almost ready to pull her sister back as Elsa let the ice cold tip of the ice touch Blackmane's neck just above the collar bone. "How do I know I can trust you ?"

"If you do not trust me, then do as I told your ancestor, Queen Marissa three hundred and fifty years ago. If you do not trust me, then kill me where I stand. But if you do trust me, command me as you wish." Blacmane replied truthfully.

For a very long moment nothing was said, air crackled as ice met hot breath from Blackmane. Yet Blackmane never backed down, nor did she show any signs of fear. For an agonizingly long moment the sword tip of ice was all but pressing into Blackmane's skin. Finally, Elsa lowered the weapon. "Alright. I trust you are telling t he truth. The legend spoke of trust. You carried this weapon, plus the seal of my ancestor, Queen Marissa. The one who told my great grandmother the story, who said her great grandmother told it to her mother, and the story passed down to us. Who else is with you ?"

"At this moment, it is only myself who have come, yet others will follow. We used to have a den here somewhere within the city. Give me leave to find it and prepare for my bothers arrivals as needed." Blackmane said. Anna traded looks with her sister as Elsa turned from Blackmane, pointing the sword to the floor she let it float freely before it flockered into nothing but snowflake dust.

Elsa turned back to Blackmane, "Go, do as you need, speak with the guard,s Kai will be of help to you. Be gentle, he is quite nervous at times. A good man, yet best at being a butler more than a messenger. Any supplies that you have need of, inform the guard. They will do as you request only so far. Their ultimate goal is to protect those of us in the castle."

"And judging by the scent of things, they have grown lax in such goals." Blackmane mused thoughtfully.

"I'm sorry ?" Elsa asked.

"I scent blood spilled here recently. Old ys, but faint and yet strong enough for my senses to pick out among other scents within this castle." Blackmane said.

For a long moment none spoke, Kristoff stood at the open door with Kai, observing, yet ready to intervene if needed to do so. Finally Anna spoke "Wait, you mean that dork that tried to kill Kristoff a few weeks back ? Almost two month ago actually."

"Someone had tried to take one of your kin down ?" Blackmane asked, turning towards Anna.

"Sort of, very well nearly actually had Elsa not spiked the guy with ice. Otherwise Kristoff would'nt be here." Anna said. With everything said, Blackmane noticed the temperture change, and the fact that Elsa did not look very happy.

"Anna, could you give me a moment with our guest. Don't worry, I'll be fine." Elsa said, a brief hug later and Elsa and Blackmane were alone in the room together. The door closed behind Blackmane. Elsa went and placed a snowflake on the door, effectively locking out her sister before turning back to Blackmane. Blackmane kept her gaze locked on the throne, Marissa once more flashed before her eyes.

Elsa's voice broke the memories flooding Blackmanes vision. "It is true. A man tried to kill me, when he was unable to get to me, he tried to threaten us by taking Kristoff, Anna is right, if I had not hit the man with my ice through the chest. Then Kristoff would have been lost. Blood was everywhere. Never in my life had I thought I'd see my clear beautiful ice and snow bloodstained."

Blackmane smiled, with her back to Elsa she spoke, "Someone taught you. That sword you made, it was your own making was it not ?"

"It was. And yes, I was taught, I guess. For a few years. Most of the time I just made snow for my sister to play in until I accidently hit her with my ice, in the head. At the time it scared me and my parents so we took Anna to the trolls for help. But... it was against my wishes personally, I love my sister." Elsa said

"And it is clear how your sister acts around you that she in turn, cares for you greatly." Blackmane said with a slow nod. "I know of one other similar to yourself, who has mastered ice and snow. He will be here soon, one of a few I admit, who will be arriving to aid me against the threat against you and your sister." Blackmane then smiled and turned towards Elsa, who was by then tracing ice into the blade to try and see if anything else was on it. "Tell me, did you make that snowman I nearly ran over outside ?"

"You mean Olaf ? How did he get out ? He was with us in the dining room ?" Elsa seemed shocked, but she trusted Blackmane then, since she recognised the notch in the blade when it was used according to the legend. Elsa went to the door, upon breaking the snowflake she was slightly startled by a loud

"HI! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" Apparently Olaf heard his name called and came running from the dining room. He waited at the door until Elsa opened it when he burst in. Blackmane smiled.

Elsa put a hand to her temple, this was going to be a long day. "Blackmane, meet Olaf, Olaf, meet Blackmane, a friend who will be staying in town for some time."

To which Olaf turned to Blackmane and waved his stick arms repeating himself "HI! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" Blackmane's smile widened as she replied.

"So you have said." She dropped to one knee to be level with Olafs' face. To Elsa she said, "He is quite cute. You made him did you not ?" Elsa just nodded. "Your abilites must be great indeed, enchanted enough to create a snowman like this, to come alive. So innocent, so carefree. There is a reason he admired you so much. His favorite student he called you."

"He ?" Elsa asked confused before remembering why she went to the door, with a quick shake of her head she said "Err, wait, hang on. Kai, can you do me a favor and fetch the items the man that had tried to harm Kristoff carried in here please."

A curt "Yes madam." was in reply and the bulter left, followed quickly by Olaf mostly because of the butterfly that Anna had stuck to Kai's suit. Blackmane stood back up, her face had taken a more surious look to it as she stood thoughtful.

"Do you mind if I take a look around ?" She asked, as she spoke she shifted her vision slightly, taking in everything in the room carefully. She did not possess the same powers as her twin sister Snowfeather, but she had a few spells she could easily use. But at the moment she wanted to make sure none were trying to sneak in and listen unintentionally.

"Go ahead" Elsa said, she was more focused on replacing the dagger on its plauqe over the throne. As she spied others on Blackmane's left and right wrists. Blackmane was not going to miss it was she ? She hoped not. She called for another servant, James entered as requested with a stepladder for Elsa to replace the dagger upon its rightful place over her parents thrones. Elsa never used either chair, they belonged to her parents, and it did not sit right with her to sit in either one of the two throne chairs. Even though she herself was the Queen of Arendelle, Elsa prefered to wander the city and sometimes the mountains rather then sit in a throneroom.

When Kai returned with the items taken from the intruder six weeks before, Elsa directed him towards Blackmane. Holding out the items, Blackmane took the items, one at a time and carefully inspected each. Everything seemed typical commnor until she got to the ring the man had worn. Pick it up, she studied it, then growled under her breath. "Damn. They've returned. How long ago was this that he tried to do his deed ?"

"Six weeks ago, nomatter how many times the servants clean the space, it will never feel clean again." Elsa explained the ice spike, and the blood.

Blackmane nodded, "It is worse than I feared, they here halted for a while, and now, with you in command of the city. They wish to try again." she held out the ring, the red Templar cross shone brightly in the crystal light within the throne room. "This is the cross of the Templar Order." Blackmane explained.

Elsa stared, "Templars, you mean like the stories of soldiers sent to fight to the southeast ?"

"The soldiers during the first and second crusades were good holy men, until the third crusade they found money and power, and they wanted more power, more money, more control. The Templars fell from grace then at that same moment long ago. It was through the deeds of one of my own brotherhood long ago that ended the threat against the world for the time being. At this point however... I thought them long gone from here." Blackmane set the ring back where she had taken it from the pile of items that Kai had brought out.

"A friend of mine will be coming here soon, against my wishes but I relented when he mentioned a promise he had made to someone dear to him that lived here. Hias first duty is to the Creed, he will come soon, when he is here however, he'll be bound to the creed until he finds the den within the city below the castle." Blackmane explained to Elsa, "As soon as he has reported his arrival to the Den, he's free to roam the city as needed. However, he might have a contract active when he gets here. I take my leave. I have much to do. Much to learn." with that, Blackmane bowed to Elsa and left the throneroom. Leaving the door open behind her, guards showed her the direction to the city. Blackmane thanked them. However she examined the hands of each guard she passed.

Only one of them wore the ring she had identified as a templar item.

 **Arendelle**

 **City; midafternoon**

Blackmane left the castle and explored the first top level of the three level city. It had grown since she was last there. King Joseph would have been proud to see the city grow so much as it had. And yet, rather then try and force information out of people. Blackmane mept herface covered as she moved through town swiftly and smoothly.

She spotted guards, recognising their outline as enemies, iTemplars were indeed within the ranks of the Arendelle guard!/i It was worse than she had thought it to be! The Templars had infiltrated the guard of Arendelle, and worse, tried to take out the Queen! iNot on my watch. And most surely not on Matthew's own watch/i Blackmane thought. She made her way down a empty ally and then started climbing up when she spotted an eagle far above. Climbing swiftly hand over hand to the perch location. She took a careful look around. Noting down to memoryr every last detail of the area before seeing the long low flat roofed building not too far away. Her desired target.

Blackmane focused on where a haystack was and did a leap of faith. Swandiving perfectly off the perch so far above the city she landed safely in the haystack. She waited but a moment before jumping from the hay and making her way towards the Den. Upon arrival at the den she noticed more templars, and silently took them down as she came upon them. Clearing an area of Templar influence. She reopened two shops, a blacksmith and doctor, along with a tailor shortly after coming to the den wall.

She was back where she belonged.

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Throneroom; midafternoon**

It was a few minutes until Anna returned, Kristoff and Olaf in tow. Taking a brief look around she spotted Elsa standing near the window looking out at the city below. Coming up next to her sister Anna slid her hand into Elsa's own. Feeling the cold, the fear her sister had within her. "Relax, the story's true. What mom and dad told us when we were little. She came as called, literally, of course it took six weeks."

"That's not what I'm thinking about though," Elsa replied softly, almost sadly. She sat on the window ledge, her hands went to her face as a tear streaked from one eye. "Blackmane mentioned a man; but somehow I cannot stop thinking of Mattthew, my teacher. It feels like so long ago, he went with mother and father on that fateful trip. He promised he'd come back, but he never did. But Blackmane mentioned a man wanting to come here, to Arendelle, to fulfill a promise he had made to someone here."

"You think he's still alive ?" Anna asked, dropping to her knees in front of her sister, taking her hands from her sisters face Anna held them tightly. "If the story was true, its possible that his own snow and ice saved his life since the cold never bothered either of you."

"Is it possible ?" Elsa asked, the idea of Matthew Michaels, her teacher from when she was a young teen. Her teacher for ten years. A man who made her a promise when he left with her parents nearly a generation before. "Could he still be alive ?"

"I think it is possible." Anna said firmly. She got to her feet and pulled Elsa to hers. "Come on, cheer up sis, its almost dinner and I'm thinknig something in town might be more fitting. Besides, you've been making that ice sword almost since you sent out the dagger." Anna then noticed it was not within her sisters hands, looking around she saw it "You put it back up didn't you ?" Elsa smiled and nodded, she then let Anna and Kristoff lead her out of the castle to the town for something to eat.

Elsa knew then in her heart, somewhere somehow, her teacher, her friend, was still alive.

But what she did not know, was that he was coming to see her. To save her.


	3. Seqeunce 1 Memory 3

_**The Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **IV**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **sequence 01**_

 _ **Memory 03 Welcome to Arendelle {part 2}**_

 **29 June 2050**

 **Arendelle Docks**

 **dawn**

A man wrote in a journal within his chamber aboard the Ancili; the craft owned by a certain friend and Mentor of the Assassin Brotherhood. A page turned as the journal was written.

 _I had made a promise to a student that I'd return to finish her teaching. But the storm ruined my plans completely. Christoph; the King of Arendelle, and myself survived the storm and the wreck of the ship, but it may have been Idun's death that hit Christoph hard. Too hard I think for him to survive long enough without her by his side._

 _But it was long enough to be saved. I kept us both alive long enough for us to be taken to a medical location, He made me swear. And I made a promise to him. And by god I will keep it. I will protect the queen of Arendelle to last drop of my frozen blood shatters on the ground._

The call for land and docking to soon begin drew the man from his journal. A pale hand closed the leather bound book; what looked like slivers of ice formed on thw m ans fingertips as he made sure the seal was in place. Moving about his cabin the weapons he had brought along were put in their proper place on his arms and hip. The man then activated a comm channel and sent a databurst to home, he had arrived at his destination.

His contract was opened. First thing was first, find out of templar influence. Easy enough. The Guards at Arendelle were nice men until the dagger showed up. He was to find the Assassin Den, and help Blackmane secure the location and clear out any Templar Indluence over that part of the city. Arendelle had grown since he was last there, outvillages were growing by the dozen, from what he had managed to spy on the ship in to the dock on the fjord, he noticed more buildings being built daily. The high framed roofs atop many multilayers of cityscape. Just like London, Lansoing, and Detroit, Matthew mused softly. Not that it really mattered much.

The ship was tied securely to the dock and the gangplank was set in place. The man bid good by to the captain and the crew and headed of the ship, moving swfitly the snowflake eyed man had his hood drawn over his head covering his face, yet even then he saw everything perfectly around him.

It was not snowing, that much he could see, but he did see parts of the castle rebuilt with ice. Expertly cut and angled to replace broken wood and shingle and window. So clear and clean it was designed he saw. A smile graced the hooded mans face as he thought of Elsa; how she tried to make every ice shard and snow flake so clear and prestinely clear cut and yet soft and beautiful at the same time. iElsa, you've grown in your skills./i Matthew thought.

Matthew himself had mastered his abilies over ice and snow. To the point wherein he was called Old Man Winter, he'd make snow for his nighborhood children to play in on a excrucitating hot day in summer. You know, to cool down and have fun safely. he'd made a point to the people in his area that he was nice, sweet, and loved when the kids were happy and having fun in the snow. And when in the winter when it snowed naturally, all the kids from the area came to his house as the snow seemed to fall deepest in his yard. And yet, Michaels encuraged the children to have fun in the snow. Insofar as making it snow even more for them to enjoy not just his own yard, but their entire nighborhood as well.

A voice broke his train of thought "Welcome to Arendelle sir." the voice was that of Aaron, one of the dock keepers and a old friend of Matthews. "The queen most likely expects you, lately she has been giving orders for the last week or so that every ship that comes in, any passengers are to see her as quickly as they can. She is expecting someone important, but lately I fear she has grown disheartened."

"Then maybe I can cheer her up Aaron." Matthew said with a swift movement he removed his hood and smiled toards his old friend.

Aaron looked as he he'd seen a ghost. "Matthew ? Do my eyes lie to me ?" Aaron places his hands on his friends shoulders. "Is it really you ?"

Matthew smiled and laughed. "Yes it is me, I've finally returned. You would not believe what I had to go through. But I will say this, The King and Queen rest peacefully now." at the mention of the king and queen Aaron slightly went stiff but relaxed, nearly twenty years ago the poor souls passed away, leaving a devestated two girls in the castle with the servants. But that had all changed.

"I think you need to go see Elsa, and quickly. Just show up in the throne room, or follow the ice prints she leaves in her wake before they thaw out." Aaron said. Matthew smiled, his snowflake like eyes twinkling brightly as he patted his old friend on the shoulder. When he had first met Aaron the dockworker was learning the trade of working at the docks. It had gotten to the point wherein Aaron and Matthew worked together, even lived together at the kings insisting they do so.

Matthew turned and left the docks, shifting his vision slightly as he moved through town with his hood covering his face, he easily found Elsa's footsteps, ducking into an ally, he disappeared into a swirl of snow and ice. Disappearing from sight of the town on the ground.

 **Arendelle Marketplace**

 **Late morning**

Reappearing up above on the same viewpoint that Blackmane had used, he took a careful look around and disappeared again. It was time to see an old friend.

He landed not too far on a rooftop over looking the main market and eating area in the town. he'd tracked Elsa's icey footsteps that far. Now he just; there she was. And there was also some otheres he did not like the look of. Well, time to make an enterance was it not ? He smiled.

Dropping easily from the rooftop without a sound whatsoever, he landed on two guards, his hidden blades of nothing but ice driving deep into their chests, whose red doutlines marked them as Templar agents easily before he struck. He left their ice cold bodies frozen on the ground where they laid as he moved closer to Elsa as another group made their way closer to his student.

Matthew marveled at how Elsa looked, gone were the gloves she wore to contain her abilites, gone was the bun that conained her beautiful hair. Gone was the dark gowns and prim and proper princess. Matthew knew that now he was not looking at his old student; a child scared of harming others with her gift. Instead, he saw that he was looking upon someone who had regained her true focus and thus, not only did her gift make her happy, no longer scared, but also those around her were also enjyoing themselves. The castle Gates were wide open as well. And Matthew had seen many trading ships of various sizes and types at the docks. And the market he found himself in was a major hub of activity. Unlike the last time he was there, before the loss of his employers, before his student became Queen.

Matthew observed Elsa as she moved, with a small group with her, her sister Matthew noted, was right by her side, as was one of the Ice Harvestors, Matthew had no idea who Kristoff was, but the man looked ready enough to defend his friends. Matthew also saw a reindeer with the group, as well as a... snowman ? Matthew smiled, Elsas gift had grown to the point of enchantment of creations! Just like his snowcat back in Lansing that played with the nighborhood kids at his home.

Matthew saw two more men inching closer to Elsa and her group. Unnoticed to anyone the men shouldered their way through the marketplace goers. Earning in some areas, a grunt of anger, but nothing more as the men were dressed as Arendelle guards. Matthew sighed softly and moved into the crowd of an interception course that brought him dangerously close to Elsa herself as he passed her by.

Time slowed briefly as hooded vision connected briefly with extremely clear bright blue eyes for less than a heartbeat before moving on. Elsa stopped in her tracks and turned to look in Matthews direction but the man was gone. Seconds later as Anna all but pulled her sister forwards in confusion a shout went up from the guards as one fell to pieces, literally.

Elsa, Anna, Olaf and Kristoff turned around as more shouts rang out. "What is that ?" Kristoff started to asked as Elsa let ho of Annas hand ans started moving through the crowd towards the comotion. She felt for the briefist instant that she was standing in her teachers reach. Her heart hammered in her chest as she spoke up, people gave her a path forwards along with Anna and Kristoff along with Olaf and Sven. The group came to a halt at the edge of what appeared to be a fight ring of sorts as Aredelle guards were falling to pieces of ice.

One guard was giving orders. Elsa did not recognise him but she did see the ring the guard wore. Recalling what Blackmane said of the Templars Elsa shouted something and pulled Anna back and before the guard had a chance to react even to Anna Elsa herself had once against drawn forth her sword and threw it with a loud shout. "Matthew! Catch!" The sword sailed true and landed easily in the waiting open palm of the hooded man.

Moving quickly Matthew dove forwards and used Elsa's ice sword against a templar knight who was about to strike a small child, getting between the Knight and the little boy, Matthew shouted something and snow began to fall. It was not his doing, but Elsa's own. Her concern for her people was making it snow! But the movements of the hooded man; his speed and skill kept the area within reach of the beautiful sword of ice clear of any and all snowflakes until the last Templar was down.

With all the Templar soldiers, for the moment, dead or dying, Matthew swung the sword around and caught perfectly on the tip, a snowflake that Elsa crafted. Looking over the blade carefully the hooded man smiled. "You remembered." He said softly. Then without a word, Matthew flicked the snowflake up into the air were it exploded into a shower of snowfall for brief moments as he turned the sword, hilt first, towards Elsa and dropped to one knee. "Forgive your servant my lady. I made two promises, and have yet to keep either one. Forgive me. I was wrong to leave you in dispair for so long. It was never my intent." Matthew said, his head bowed.

He had, just like her parents, intended to travel to a nearby kingdom, but the storm that took their ship, and Queen Idun, and then shortly after, King Christophe. And then Matthew himself eing kept on ICE for nearly twenty years. And only just recently promoted to being in command of a Assassini Den.

Elsa was too overjoyed to say anything, she recognised his voice, knew his skill with snow and ice. Instead of speaking she took the sword of ice and handed it to Kristoff, who at first stared but then held the blade as bid to do so as Elsa grabbed Matthew and pulled the man to his feet and gave him a very tight hug. At first startled, Matthew then welcomed the hug and returned it. Hugging Elsa tightly.

He broke the hug after a moment or two, holding Elsa at arms length he smiled and let her remove his pale grey hood. His eyes, his wonderful snowflake patterned eyes, stared back at her, that sparkle of her teacher, her friend, her only friend after what had happened to her sister years before as a child. Were bright and clear, like untarnished snow. Matthew spoke. "You have changed since I last saw you, when I last saw you, you were but a student, young, scared. Worried for your parents and for your future. It was understandable I assure you. Your parents did not die in vain. Because I made a promise to your father. It is a promise I intend to keep." He wiped away a tear from Elsas face.

He looked first to the sword held by Kristoff, and then to Olaf who was chasing butterflies across the marketplace with the riendeer, Sven. "Your gift too I see has grown. you're still learning though I think. I recall I was teaching you how to make the sword. And yet, a living snowman, and I thought I made history with a living snowcat." The mention of the snowcat made Elsa snicker slightly. "Is that sadness I hear or something else ?" Matthew asked.

Elsa went quiet, without thinking it she leaned in on Matthew and the man held her close. Looking to Anna who mouthed 'She'll t ell you later. Trust me.' Matthew nodded, then spoke up asking "Have you eaten yet ? I just got off the ship and have yet to eat anything since before dawn."

"We were actually jiust about to find something to eat when these dorks showed up." Anna jerked a finger towards the dead templars. Matthew turned towards the dead, the guards uniforms were tattered and torn, and underthem the townspeople easily saw designs that they knew the Arendelle guards never wore or carried. Briefly letting go of Elsa he bent down and removed from one a chain, on the end of which was s red templar cross. It iced over as the man held it in his hand, then shattered with a loud popping sound. Within seconds ice covered the slain soldiers and afterwards the ice melted, leaving nothing, not even blood or outline of where the dead laid. Of course there was the information each carried that appeared in a stack on a few large snowflakes.

"It seems these men were under orders to take you guys out today, here in the market, amid the crowd. Seeing they planned on using poison to slowly take you down one by one, they were expecting an easy kill. Until I came in on the scene. I made a promise to two people, one of them I returned to just now, the other I have yet to fill." Matthew said, Elsa looked ready to faint because she was either tired from hunger or just overjoyed that he was finally back.

It pained him to see her that way. But one thing he knew was clearly made known to him. Elsa had mastered her gift to the point of enchantment of creations, and making of clothing. In this case, her dress was quite beautiful, strung through with snow and ice designs. It was a piece of art the young woman wore. Matthew spoke up "I have one thing I need to do, I think Blackmane told you of it ? No, well I need to report to her that I have arrived. And I will see you for dinner tonight, and that is a promise I intend to keep." He patted Elsas hands and a snowflake appeared from his own fingertips.

He leaned close to Elsa and said softly for only her to hear "I promised your parents I'd protect you until the last drop of my frozen blood shatters upon the ground. And I intend to do just that. For moments after I promised your father that I'd protect you, he breathed his last. But he rests easy, knowing you and your sister are safe."

With that, he disappeared, his snowflake in Elsa's hands remaining that he was indeed there. But where had he gone so suddenly ? Elsa looked around, confused. As did everyone else in the market, where had the hooded stranger gone so suddenly ? The snow had all but stopped at that point. And yet, it was possible, just possible, Elsa hoped, that Matthew was somewhere in the snowfall.

She was more correct than she had thought. Anna stepped up to her sister and the two hugged, Elsa mostly out of joy said exactly what Matthew had for her sister to hear, Matthew had returned, he'd returned to keep them both safe. And happy. And mother and father rested peacefully because of the promises Matthew had made to them both. Elsa's promise as a child when Matthew left with her parents, and the promise to her father to protect his daughters. Anna could not make head of tails of any of it, but she figured it had something to do with that story they were told as kids.

Finally Anna broke the silence. The snowflake fluttered around Elsa like a moth to torchlight. Like a guide or a guardian, or something. Anna could see dozens of sharp yet beautifully crafted edges on the snowflake. "Come on, I'm famished, lets find something to eat. Matthew will be at dinner. don't worry, if he's not, I'll beat him to a pulp for breaking his promise again." That made Elsa smile and nearly made Kristoff laugh.

The three then went in search of food nearby, the market vendors were glad their Queen was out and about and offered her and those with her all sorts of wonderful foods for no cost. It was strange, Elsa felt, not to worry of paying for anything out of her own pockets. And yet, the shop vendors insisted that she was the queen and if anyone were to pay for anything, it'd be them.

 **Arendelle**

 **Assassin Den**

 **Noon**

"I see you found the den easy enough." Said a voice as Matthew dropped into the low two floor building from the roof. Blackmane had cleared it of dust and dirt and even refluffed the many pillows within the outer room.

"I have been here before Mentor." Michaels replied calmly. "Besides, I had something to attend to before coming here once I got off the ship."

"Yes, the town is buzzing thanks to your... show." Blackmane said, she had fired up a smithy in one corner of the den and was refining all sorts of metals and ores for weapon crafting at later periods. "I heard the Queen was there ?"

"yes; she was the target of the Templars, if it were not for me, she would have been poisoned or kidnapped, or outright slain in the market. I did not much like the look of the many guards in the area that surrounded the market either. Had to freeze a few in order to slip in." Matthew admitted to using his gifts of ice and snow to slay a few. He then detailed the fight for Blackmane; including the crafting of the ice sword from the Queen.

"Her abilites have grown to the point of enchantment upon created creatures, a snowman for example, whom she calls Olaf, or rather, I assume he calls himself by that name. An innocent creature yet. Made of snow and ice. Yet living and breathing." Matthew said thoughtfully, it was indeed similar to his own snowcat back in Lansing.

"So I hear, and have seen for myself, the snowman known as Olaf, a gentle soul to be sure, made of snow, created by Elsa herself I was told. I like him." Blackmane said then, Olaf was pure innocence, and from what Blackmane was able to observe, the innocence within Elsa made manifest within the snowman she had created. It made sense. "I have seen her sword as well, last I recall, only you could make such things out of ice and snow and use them to proper deadly effect as well."

"Yes; that is true, for a time it was only I that could do such things with ice and snow at my disposal, which might have been why the King, Elsas father, Christophe, had asked for me to teach his daughter how to control her abilites." Matthew said thoughtfully. "I like to think I had done good with what I was able to do in teaching her."

"Until the great cold set in five years later." Blackmane explained, she set a tome on the counter. She had three hookahs going, the incense pannier were burning brightly and the rooms of the den smelled sickly sweet of various scents of incense. "Apparently your student was pushed too far, as a result she fled from fear and fear alone. Her fear had taken control as a result, the city froze solid. However, there was someone close to her that knew what to do. Love thawed a frozen heart."

"And Prince Hans was carefully questioned I heard" Matthew replied.

Blackmane smiled. "That he was, his family has Templar ties, he sought to make a name for himself apparently, and therefore, in trying to take out Elsa, he'd run this place as his own. However he was not expecting the choice Anna had made, nor was he expecting the young woman to survive that long with a frozen heart either." Blackmane closed the tome. "Lansing, do me a small favor will you ? Consider it your contract while you are here."

Matthew turned towards Blackmane after making sure the weapons racks were proper and clean of dust and grime. "Name it Mentor, and I will see it done."

"Protect Queen Elsa, and her sister Anna with your life. That is your only contract here in Arendelle. With you protecting Elsa and her sister, you aid me in rebuilding our presence here in the town. I had to rebuild three shops already, and one bank as well to get some income back into the books." Blackmane sounded slightly annoyed at the fact that she was to rebuild the brotherhoods presence within Arendelle, but also renovate shops she cleared of Templar control.

"I tell you what I will do, there are many smaller outburgs here of many different levels. I will go and clear out the city of Templar influnce towers and help rebuild the city. I saw many closed buildings upon my entry, and most of them at the docks." he said. "I'll remove the Templar tower and its flag in that zone and rebuild and reopen the shops located at the docks to make it more of a trading port and try to clean it up. Elsa was at the market, which is predominately under her personal control as it is practically outside the castle gates directly."

Blackmane nodded in agreement. "Good. If you wish it, you can let Elsa see you at work in rebuilding the docks, Elsa granted me leave to rebuild and renovate as needed here at the den and otherwise."

"I am glad for that, many homes look worse for wear and some have fallen in on themselves." Matthew said, "If that is my only contract within Arendelle, you do not have any for me to be sent out of the city do you ?"

"No, I have no contracts for you outside the city aside from the rebuilding. I will keep a log of your progress here. And also at the castle; the architects there will wonder what we are up to no doubt and will want a hand in our work." Blackmane said, "Your only contract is to protect Elsa and Anna with your life. You told me of your promise to King Christophe, and I am holding you to it. You're Den Master of this den, and your sole task is to protect with your life, that of the Queen and Princess of Arendelle. Understood ?"

"Intimately." Matthew said, he nodded and then took off from the den. Climbing to the rooftop with ease as he created a ice ladder that desolved as he stepped up it without trouble. He had a dinner date to keep. He spotted his desired Templar Influence Tower and headed in that direction. The snowflakes of his eyes sparkling brightly with impish delight of the horror to come for the Templars that did not know their end was nigh!

 **Arendelle**

 **Castle Ice Courtyard**

 **Just past lunch hour**

It was about an hour later that found Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven b ack at the ice rink Elsa had created ages ago, people still ice skated daily. And recently several of their skaters went to the international winter games, and twice now brought home gold and silver medals. If only the world knew how those figure skaters trained. Elsa found herself thinking. She climbed up to one of the many watch towers that her ancestors had built into the castle walls, the many turrets that jutted out over the sea to the west and north, the dock to the northeast, her left, as she stood at the paraphet of the turret. Looking out to the seas and the docks below.

Anna came up, oddly alone, as Olaf and Sven were chasing buttterflies again around the ice rink. Looking really cute while doing so. "All you could think about was 'him, how he taught you, and then your sword, you just made it and threw it to him to use as needed'." Anna said, quoting her elder sister word for word from what she said at lunch only minutes before leaving the others to wander off alone in the castle, apeparing at the turret that overlooked the docks below. The ghetto of Arendelle, some called it. There used to be a vast market there on the docks, well before Elsas own time; back when the legend was first begun.

"He came back, he showed me how to do it when he was teaching me. How the ice formed as I thought it to form. At the time I made myself a little dagger like thing, like what hangs over mother and fathers thrones" Elsa explained, she even formed it out of ice for her sister to see. The weapon faded into snowflakes that drifted off. "When mother and father died, their ship lost, I thought him gone too. But now he's here, he saved us in the market, those men that tried to kill us, they wore our guards uniforms, I want the guards to line the iceyard for inspection, all of them. Now." The last word was towards the servant that stood nearby, the man nodded and left to give the order.

Not two seconds later did a shout raise from the ghetto below near the docks as the single tower flaired to life with white and red smoke. Men were seen below fighting yet also fleeing. Conjuring up a icicle to see with, Elsa saw Matthew standing at the signal post far above the ghetto below. A smile appeared on her face when she saw Arendelle guards rushing to the scene and chasing after other men dressed in weird colors, men; Elsa saw, that wore the red cross of the Templar Order.. Her gaze then snapped back to the signal tower as Matthew was unrolling something. And her sisters voice cut into her viewing the men fleeing down below.

"What is that flag ?" Anna asked aloud, the sisters watched as a flag unfurled, it was the Arendelle crest, but done up in a very interesting A-like shape. Nothing either of them had ever seen before in their lives.

Upon taking a closer look with the icicle she held, Elsa spoke up "It looks like our crest, but, its really interesting the design of it." She held out the icicle for her sister to take a peek through, the ice did wonders at magnifying the long distances. There was no missing the snowstained gray robed man that was Matthew as he suddenly took a look around the tower before jumping off arms wide. Out into the thin air.

Only to land in a massive pile of hay below. Several templar soldiers were in a panic in that area, and had no idea what hit them when a hand snaked out and ensnared their fellows unseen into the hay. Then finally, Matthew himself stepped from the hay pile and looked up towards the turret, seemingly looking directly at Elsa and her sister before running towards the wall of the nearest building and climbing up it swiftly and skillfully. As he reached the top the man turned and gave a blown mocking kiss towards the templars trying to shoot at him before he jumped again and disappeared from sight in a flurry of snowflakes.

Matthew had another task before him, and it was to rebuild and clean some areas of the docks. He felt in his heart he was being watched and when he looked up to the castle turret, there was someone indeed watching him. Someone he knew to want to watch him as he worked to rebuild Arendelle. First thing Matthew did upon giving Elsa and her sister a show to watch was unfurl the Arendelle Assassin den flag. No doubt the two girls would have questions for him when he saw them at dinner.

One of those questions he knew to be "Where did you go ?" Since mastering his gifts of ice and snow, Matthew Michaels could use the snowflakes and icicles to teleport to other locations, limited only by his knowledge of the locations he wished to teleport to. Not that it really mattered by that point to him.

He made sure to give the Queen a good show as he lit the signal fire; the Templars down below getting into a roit with several townspeople and also some Arendelle Guards that the Queen trusted with her life. At least until a guard came running up with the notice that all Arendelle Guards were to report to the Ice Yard straight away, on penalty of stripment of station by the Queen herself. Dozens of soldiers, even those that were off duty went running for the Castle courtyard where the ice rink was located at the summons.

The Queen wanted to inspect them carefully. The enemy had infiltrated their ranks; and Elsa knew exactly what to look for. She also wanted Matthew with her along with Blackmane to ensure safety of herself and her sister; and also Kristoff and Sven during the inspection. Elsa was going to make it clear, she was no pushover. And she was done playing mind games with these Templars as well.

Matthewe followed the guards when a messenger had found him and said that Elsa wanted him and also the Den Keeper, Blackmane of the Legend of the Dagger to also be present, Matthew nodded and informed the messenger of where to go and what to say to enter the den good and proper without worry of loosing his life before renovating two banks, six tailors, five blacksmiths and nine art merchant shops. Men and woman soon bustled about with cleaning and setting to rights the former ghetto part of town.

 **Arendelle**

 **Castle Ice Courtyard**

 **Late afternoon**

Elsa walked with Anna along the paraphet of the castle wall from the turret overlooking the docks. Inside of an hour her summons had gone out and almost all the Arendelle Guard were present on the Ice waiting in ordered ranks as summoned. None of the men and women in the Guard spoke to one another and they all starerd straight ahead without a sound. The many commanders of the various groups spoke with one another, curious of the summons by the Queen, it had been nearly ten generations since such a summons occurred and they were now shorthanded at many of the outer towns along the coastline.

A swirl of snowflakes interrupted the many conversations as the small seemingly blizzardlike creation flitered through the ranks of Guards present, impressing on a few, one in ten in fact, a small snowflake mark as if tapping on a shoulder, something that Elsa could easily decern as potential targets to carefully inspect. Thanks to his eagle vision, what the Jellicles called their Jellicle Vision, which decerned an outline around targets, allies were in bright blue, targets for death were in blood red, and targets to trail and keep alive were in brilliant gold, common folk that happened to be present were merely uncolored.

Matthew's snowflakes and small ice storm breezed through the assembled guard and their captains. Marking only one of the twenty three guard commanders as he passed. He spotted Elsa above on a paraphet and moved in that direction, taking careful view of those around him and of anyone else heading towards the Queen, none were. Apparently all the guard were summoned to the Ice Rink; which meant that if something were to occur at that location, it would have already.

The snowflakes drifted up to the paraphet and swirled around the two women who walked upon its surface, the death slits in the side of the wall, standard use in any castle design, were to their left. Matthew swirled around both women, a stiff yet refreshing breeze for them both before the snowflakes headed for the floor of the paraphet and begain forming walking feet behind the two girls.

Elsa, Matthew saw was deep in thought. This was going to be a long day. And since they were both focused on his show, none of them saw him as he formed from the snow behind them. With his hood down, his long silver hair shone in the sunlight. "Did you enjoy the show m'lady ?" Matthew asked calmly as he walked with them.

Jarred from her thoughts of the soldiers below, Elsa smiled and turned to Matthew. She nodded. "I was thinking myself of having that tower cleaned up. It seems you did my work for me. Thank you Matthew. The docks look much brighter now. Cleaner too. More people down there." Elsa said.

Matthew smiled "I am merely doing as I am instructed by my Mentor, Blackmane. Who should be along soon." He replied. "You have me curious however, of the summons. Yet, as I passed the men down below, I noticed one or two... oddities. I marked them, you will see it I am sure, to take closer attention to those I marked." He spoke as if giving advice, which he was, in a way.

Elsa smiled, but it was Anna who spoke up. "What happened to that tower anyhow ? That flag I recognise, its our crest, but, quite different then normal How did you design it ? Its quite lovely."

"Typical Brotherhood work I am afraid, standard design, with local colors and symbols within it. In this case, the Arendelle Crest in our own flag design. It is rather simple really." Matthew said.

"That does not matter now. What matters is you're here, and I want to inspect my troops, those men at the market wore the Arendelle Guard uniform, but they were not there to guard me, but to kill me. I want to eliminate such from my Guards as quickly as I am able. How strong are those marks you made ?"

"Strong enough to cause instant hypothermia should you require me to do such." Matthew replied, thus giving full control of the situation to Elsa herself. Heck if she wanted him to sneeze to make it look as if he were allergic to bullshit, or templars, either one worked, then all the templars present would react to the hypothermia imposed upon them from the marks they were given by Matthew.

The plan then set, and with Matthews eagerly waiting for the task to be done, the Queen headed for the stairs down to the ice below and stepped onto it. Ice exploded from her feet into the already created ice, rebuilding the ice in full with renewed color and beauty. The commanders stood at attention when Elsa neared and only a scant few of them gave curious looks towards Matthew, but almost all of them gave dirty looks towards the smoke colored hooded woman that shortly arrived just as Elsa neared the group.

"Commander Illitain ?" Elsa said, the marked commander stepped forward and bowed, "You wonder why the summons do you not ? I see many out of uniform yet in rank and file." Elsa said, regarding his group, almost all of the group was out of uniform, most likely off duty or worse, but only two of the group were marked by Matthew, Elsa easily saw the snowflakes on their foreheads.

"M'lady, most of my unit were off duty when your summons reached us. We came as ordered, regardless of appearance. Our duty is to you, not to ourselves or our appearances." Illitain replied calmly. He regarded the two robed beings, the silverhaired male and blackhaired female with careful yet stern gaze. The silverhaired male traded looks with the Queen but Illitain noticed a just barely decernible shake of the Queens head. What was going on ? "My queen, may I be so bold as to ask why you send out the summons as you had ?"

It was Anna that spoke up as she stepped forwards. "You'd better be bold to ask why. Let me ask you this instead Illitain. Where were you when we were nearly attacked at the market ? Where were you when the docks were cleansed ? Why were you lax when you should have been on duty protecting us today ?" Matthew had to put a hand on Anna to calm the princess down as Illitain looked towards Anna with a confused glance, what the hell was the princess even talking about ?

Elsa spoke up moving as she did so to the soldeirs before her, their ranks allowed her to pass among them. Matthew saw her look and made his marks glow faintly and keep the two Templars within the soldiers ranks focused on a small headache in order to not strike at Elsa as she neared them. Pretty much forcing them to remain unmoving due to the headaches they now had pounding away. "Anna is right, we were nearly attacked today at the Market Place. Had an old friend not interviened I would have been harmed, and all the blame placed upon the Arendelle Guard for growing lax in their duty."

None of the guard liked hearing such words, even from their own leader! Never had they thought of such happening. A low murmur sprang up among the soldiers present but it ended swiftly as Commander Frela of the Fjordside town of Roughwater spoke up. "My Queen. I will never stop my duty! Six weeks ago, our guard was lax at your castle, you may blame me for that disaster. Had I known something was amiss..."

"That was six weeks ago Frela, do not fret about it now. I am not worried about that event at all. What I am worried about is our soldiers. Each one of them. Some harbor doubts, others not so much. And yet, I want to be sure I can trust them." Esla turned towards Matthew, still speaking to Frela she said "I can trust our soldiers can I not ?"

It was Illitain that spoke up. Being the Arendelle Guard General, top dog so to speak, he cut off the lower captain that was Frela before the other man could speak. "My Lady, I trust these men and women with my own life!" How dare the Queen not trust him! A snowflake flickered briefly in thr air then as his voice was cut cleanly as Matthew sneezed quite loudly as Elsa raised an eyebrow with a unseen nod. Almost two dozen men and woman cried out; or at least attempted to before collapsing to the ice rink surface, freezing cold.

"I am sorry" Matthew said calmly, yet clearly heard by all present. Making a show of removing a cloth from his pocket and putting it to his nose. "But I am allergic to bullshit." Illitain snarled at that and drew his sword and tried to take one step towards Matthew to strike the silver haired man. But Elsa beat him to it. Her sword of ice slid cleanly through the former General of the Arendele Guard's heart. The man never saw it coming as he tried to take a step forwards, only to look down and see the beautiful sword sticking out of him.

Illitain turned in confusion that turned into shock as he saw it was Elsa behind him, she had created the sword of ice and thrust it through his body. She had taken his life. And the lives of every Templar present in the iceyard. "Why do you do this my queen ?" he asked through quickly freezing lips, he was having a hard time breathing.

"I do not trust you." Elsa replied. She leaned in close as time seemed to slow down around her as Illitain slowly lost his life. "You failed in your duties to the Arendelle Guard, to me and my family, to my father and mother. I do not trust you. You failed me." She withdrew the ice sword from Illitain. The man tried to take a step towards Elsa only to fall to the ground a statue, shattering upon impact with the ground.

 _Time slowed and Arendelle, the ice courtyard, everything save for Blackmane, Matthew, Queen Elsa and the dying general Illitain were present, it felt weird, some form of dreamstate. But Elsa held Illitain in her arms as he laid on the... ground... Elsa couldn't explain it. It felt weird. "What was your plan ? Who gave you your orders ? Why are there Arendelle Guard not of Arendelle ?"_

 _Illitain snickered, "So many questions your highness. Yet I've no time to answer them if at all. I will tell you this. This is not over. There are more of us within this kingdom. You will have to work at your skill to bring us all down. But you wont live to see the end of the month anyway."_

 _"What are you talking about ? What is happening at the end of the month ? Why am I a target ?!" Elsa's ice appeared under their feet as she questioned Illitain, the man laughed._

 _"I am sorry, were you expecting an eplination ?" With that the man breathed his last. And time caught up to them all._

Elsa noted the silence that followed, so much of it so that she sighed softly. Dismissing the sword she stepped up to the other commanders, all of them scared now for fear they may be next, Frela however showed pure admiration and respect for his queen. Elsa saw it clearly in his eyes. "Frela" Elsa said softly. The commander stepped forwards. Elsa placed a firm hand on his trembling shoulder. "I want you to lead these men and women of the Arendelle Guard, can you do that for me ? Can I trust you with that task ? Can I trust you with my life ?"

Frela smiled and slowly raised an arm, placing his careworn hand on her own on his shoulder he said simply. "Yes." Elsa smiled and hugged him, surprisng all present. Never had Elsa hugged one of the Guard before. Anna hugged Matthew, who seemlingly did not really notice the hug. Yet he did not try to hinder the Princess either.

Matthew spoke up then after a long moment or two. "There is still quite a bit to do." He said, he meant rebuilding Arendelle, and remove the remaining Templars in the city and its out villages on both sides of the Fjords.

"Yes" Elsa replied. There was still much to do indeed. She spoke up loudly and stepped onto a higher point in the ice yard, her voice carrying clear and strong. "Listen to me, everyone. The two robed people before you are here at my request, under no circomstances can any of the Arendelle Guard hinder them in any way. We are to aid them when and where possible. These two are of the Legend of the Dagger!" Murmurs once more were heard, the smoke robed woman was of the legend, most of the guards knew of the tale of a smoke robed woman saving the Queen from certain death nearly seven generations before. Elsa continued. "If I hear of anyone of the Arendelle Guard hindering or harming one of their brotherhood members when they arrive to aid us, you will answer to me here on the ice yard. Am I understood ?!"

A resounding "Yes my queen" was heard as all the soldiers present dropped to one knee and bowed low before Elsa. Finally, it was about time she had control over her future. These guards needed some serious talking to.

"Good, General Frela, Commander Arken; have someone remove the dead before they fuse to the ice rink surface. And someone sweep up Illitains shards. I want them properly buired, he was an Arendelle Guard, misguided yes, but still a Guard, we will treat him with honor." It was a weird order, yet the Guard knew the honor their fallen brothers and sisters were before being misguided from their true calling.

Matthew smiled, this was not exactly the welcome to Arendelle he was expecting. Nevertheless, he smiled. He was happy, Elsa was finally learning. But there was some learning that she still had to do, him as well. And included a certain troll.

 **MEMORY SYNC COMPLETE. SEQUENCE ONE COMPLETED**


	4. Seqeunce 2 Memory 1

_**The Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **IV**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Sequence 02**_

 _ **Memory 01: Tender Reunion**_

 **29 June 2050**

 **Arendell Castle**

 **Dining Room**

 **Evening**

Matthew sat at the table, admiring the sword Elsa created, clean of ice and dirt, the bodies of the slain Templar soldiers were cleared away before they could freeze to the ice rink surface. "You've learned much, Elsa. More than I had thought. Given my brief time here so long ago." He said.

He and Elsa had requested a few minutes alone before dinner, Matthew took Elsa to the dining room, just the two of them, he wanted her to show him her skills she had learned over time since he'd been away. Elsa recreated her ice sword, a majestic blade of pure ice and beauty. Matthew inspected the weapon carefully. Noting that Elsa had made the weapon out of the core of herself, the weapon was herself, nomatter when she drew it or called it forth, Matthew saw, the sword was to remain the same as she first created it.

He then created his own blade, the design similar to her own, yet more elegant, more skillfully made, yet no less beautiful in appearance. Its edge sharper than a normal swords edge. "What else can you make ?" He asked her.

Elsa thought for a moment before speaking, "Well, I made myself somewhere to live at the North Mountain. My Ice Palace." She created a model of the ice palace for Matthew to see. "Before I created it though I made Olaf. Then after I created it I made Marshmellow." She made a brief snowflake image of the snowmen she had made.

Dismissing his sword as Elsa dismissed the models and her own weapon, Matthew stood and went to the window. "This may not be the best time for this, but. I made a promise to your father while on the ship."

"I know you went with mother and father, you promised me you'd return. But you never did, until today, why did you take so long ?" Elsa asked him.

"It is best I start at the beginning. The day after we left port, we lost your mother." Matthew said, Elsa's sadness exploded from her in a small burst of snowfall at Matthew. "During the night your parents stayed on deck watching the stars overhead. On the second night, your father and I were speaking when we heard a splashing sound. Now; don't look at me like I took your mothers life. She left a note. Or at least someone had in her writing." He withdrew from a sleeve a letter ageworn yet still readable. He handed it to Elsa

"I read the letter at your fathers insisting I do so. We found your mother two days later. Dead. Shot through with a crossbow bolt." He withdrew the bolt, he carried it on him always since they'd found her body, floating on the surface of the Aevon sea. "Your father knew of something to help you control your powers, but he wanted to continue on. I knew of what was coming, a fierce storm unlike anything anyone had ever seen sprang up."

Elsa read the note, icicles fell from her eyes as she read her mothers words. Apparently, the queen, Elsas mother, did not like how they had split up Anna and her sister. It felt wrong each day. But Idun trusted Christophe's judgement, but it felt wrong. Elsa set the note on the table. Sitting weakly in a chair she said softly. "Oh mother. Why did you not say anything ?" Elsa hated the memories as they came flooding back, thawing out as Matthew spoke.

"Your father and I spoke long into the night the night we found your mothers body." Matthew said, "He said that he wanted to continue his quest, he wanted to finish what he'd started, to help you and your sister get back together. I tried to warn him about the storm, but he told me, and I quote directly 'iWhatever happens, on my own head be it/i'" Matthew sighed then.

"He said what he had done for you and Anna so long ago was wrong, seperating the two of you. Isolating you, closing the castle gates. He let Arendelle fall into ruin, and the Templars took over bit by bit. I explained to him of the storm we were headed for, he'd hear nothing of it. Insisting we find what we left Arenedelle for. I left him for a while, with your mothers body on deck as he'd mourn her passing. He found me later that night; wanting to talk to me, about you and Anna, and all of Arendelle and how he'd been lax in his duty as King. He wanted to make up for it. For you and your sister."

"But why ?" Elsa asked confused. Snow had collected under her chair as Matthew told his tale. "Father did what he thought best for us. But it was the trolls that took any memory of my magic from Anna's memory.. The trolls are the ones that did it."

"No, your father explained to me that what he did he did in your best interests, but it was wrong now that he looked back on it, keeping his two daughters from seeing each other. Pabbie could have simply removed the memory of your magic striking your sister in the head as it had. But no, he removed any memory of your magic. Until you showed it off on your Day of Crowning."

Elsa was at a loss. "But why ? Why not just remove the memory of my magic hitting Anna as you said ? Why did he have to remove all memory of my powers ?"

"Why indeed." Matthew replied. "Fact of the matter, Pabbie tried to tell you that if you control your emotions, you control your gift. Sure you scared a few folks. I heard the Duke of ... Weaseltown was it ?" Elsa giggled at that mention, "Was rather scared of your gift. He even called you a monster. But you never were such a thing. You alone, isolated, scared. I can understand such things as I too had to live through it."

He raised his arm then and covered his face as Elsa lashed out at him. "Don't you dare bring up that thought. I am not a monster! I am merely... different, like you." Icicles and snowflakes stabbed into his left arm as he covered his face, no blood was drawn, yet the icicles were soon melted as Elsa relaised what she had just done. Jumping up from her seat in shock she ran to Matthew and started pulling out the ice and snow from his arm. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean... Here let me..." Elsa was clearly not going too well, nearly attacked, finding out that evil lurked in her very castle, now she'd just attacked her own teacher! What the heck was going on.

"It is alright, please, Elsa, be seated, what I am about to tell you I also wish to inform your sister of. But at a later date. It is true that I am one of those of that legend; your fathe told me about it. I thought it a good tale to tell the children. Give them something they can lean on as they grow older. Sending that dagger, in ice. Got it straight to me. I of course recognised the ice signature, your snowflake design." He plucked one of the many snowflakes out of his arm. Holding it up he smiled. "Had you not infused the ice with these snowflakes, I would have never known you were still here. Waiting for me to return."

"But why didn't you ? Why did I assume you were dead ? You promised me you'd come back!" Elsa said, all but grilling Matthew where he sat. It was true, he had promised her and her words for the moment stung him slightly as she asked him her questions. All but accusing him of breaking his promise.

"I tried to come back, but I am getting ahead of myself" Matthew said, he bade Elsa to take her seat once more before continuing his tale. "The morning of the storm your father spoke with me, He asked me to promise him something, He knew of my promise to you, that I'd come back and finish teaching you control over your magic. Your father asked me to protect you, and your sister. After I had explained to him of the Templars, and what they wanted, and that it was possible they had come to Arendelle. He wanted me to protect you, teach you how to defend yourself, even arm yourself if and when needed."

"But why did you take so long in coming back ? I thought you were dead! When we got word the ship was lost I locked myself in my room, never coming out for three years!" Elsa was at a loss once more for words or thoughts and instead just made a snowflake and toyed with it as Matthew continued his story.

"Your father and I were the only survivors, of the fifty that went on that ill fated trip, your father and I surivied the cold thanks to my magic. I kept your father warm, but he could not bear to be without his wife Idun, your mother. He made me promise him on his dying breath in the hospital in the care of doctors, that I'd protect you to the last drop of my frozen blood. And by God, I will do it." Matthew said.

He withdrew a small item, setting it on the table he activated it. "Within an hour of your fathers passing, he rests peacefully as does your mother, I managed to secure her body when the wreckage of the ship was found. I sent them both here. I hear you buried them somewhere outside the city ?" Elsa nodded, a tear streaked down her face. "About a day after I sent your parents bodies back here with all honors possible, I was captured by the government, put on ICE, what they call, Icarcerate, Cannot Execute. I was dangerous, but they wanted to study me, my powers. I ended up creating a massive bilzzard that killed the power in the building they held me, I escaped into the snow. Since by then I had mastered my power it was easier for me to do then say... yourself. If you were captured, what would occur ? How would you get free ?"

Elsa had no answer for that, her gaze was locked on the snowflake that Matthew was creating. It looked similar to hers, with a few rounder edges and a lot more detail, then she realised she was looking at two snowflakes within one. A snowflake within a snowflake. As if to demostrate, Matthew tossed the snowflake, it exploded like a small blizzard against the nearby wall. Covering the floor in half an ince of snow for a brief few moments

Matthew continued. "It took me less then a week to gain the attention of Blackmane and her Brotherhood. They knew my skills, as before your father hired me to teach you. I worked with Blackmane's Assassins on many missions and tasks. Slowly gaining ranks within the brotherhood myself. I'm a Den Master personally, I oversee a den of Assassins. I must be honest. It was the work put before me as Den Master that kept me from coming back to you sooner." Matthew sighed "It was not until your snowflake in the ice crate that I picked up at the CIA post office did I realise my foolishness at not dropping everything and coming directly to here."

"Let me get this right, when you and father survived, father survived long enough for you to promise him you'd protect me and Anna ? Right ?" Matthew nodded as Elsa wanted to make sure she was following correctly. "Instead of getting back here to do just that you instead are captured and imporisoned, you get yourself free later on, and then enlisted by Blackmane ?"

"That is correct. I wish to speak also with Pabbie, as what I wish to speak to him about concerns Anna, something that Blackmane's sister found out I must make sure to fix." Matthew said.

"What do you mean ?" Elsa asked.

"When Pabbie removed all knowledge of your magic from Anna after your accident long ago, he removed something vital, too vital. If Anna and Kristoff are ever to wed, as they seem to want to. Pabbie will have to fix what he had... accidently screwed up. However I am told that Olaf was helpful in fixing that slight problem." Matthew said thoughtfully, he stood from his chair and went to the window. Looking out he looked down to the ice rink below.

"What did the troll do on accident ? Last I knew, he did things with a purpose. Even though it hurt." Elsa replied.

"From what I hear tell, Anna thought a Templar man loved her, she was wrong. Prince Hans' father, King Drake. Had sent his son here to Arendelle in order to procure one thing. Anna got in the way. He figured that by her pushing you into revealing your power to everyone that he could have you the target of every soldier in the country. He was wrong. Thanks to a certain Ice Harvesters son, and a Snowman, Anna was able to figure out what true love really was."

"Love will thaw..." Elsa said softly, in thought. She made her own snowflake explode into many smaller ones.

"That bond between you and her never broke, it was strained yes, but it never broke. Pabbie saw to it that you still had your fun before her accident. But he went about it the wrong way. What is done is done. Olaf had helped your sister, but I want to be sure everything is set to rights. I wont be able to do it right away however, there are still things to worry about here at Arendelle"

"What do you mean ?" Elsa asked, she had told Matthew the entire story of the other guy that tried to take down Kristoff only to get spiked by her. "You mean there's more of them ?"

"Plenty more, what we took down this afternoon in the ice yard outside, those were just some of their simple footmen, their soldiers. And one commander. Though he did not tell much if at all to us of his plans." Matthew said turning back to Elsa from looking out the window. "Just by taking down Illitain, and his troops that we could see, we may have drawn the Templars directly here."

"Wait" Elsa raised a hand then to halt Matthew's movments as she asked. "So that tower you lit the signal fire for. What was that exactly ?"

"That was a capured Assassin Den, Arendelle is divided into several districts, each district has a Assassin Den somewhere within it. With the main HQ den hidden somewhere in the city, considered the hardest to gain entry to. By lighting that signal fire after killing a Templar soldier captain, I notify all Templars within the district to clear out. They may be lousy people, but they make decent tennants. It also allows me to reopen closed shops within the district liberated. You have no idea how much work it is to clear out a city's districts, we're still trying to clear out Lansing as it is." Matthew explained. Elsa nodded.

"Alright, that makes sense, what about your ... missions was it ? Did Blackmane have anything for you to focus on while you're here ?" Elsa asked.

"Just two things, liberate Arendelle, and protect you and Anna as best possible." Matthew replied.

"Librate Arendelle ?" Elsa asked, clearly confused a the terms Matthew was using.

"That flag on the tower signal you saw me unfurl over at the docks. I librated that zone from Templar control, reopened a few shops, around two dozen I think, there were many tailors and art merchant shops there that were closed for some time." Matthew replied. "From what I understand there are templar zones in each district, I saw another templar control district also at the docks area, I plan to librate and control the docks, which then connect to the marketplace proper. Which is free of Templar influence thanks to you and and your sister." Matthew said.

"I see. So you plan to help me regain complete control of Arendelle, no Templar influence in the city proper. What about the nighboring kingdoms ?" Weselton for example, was a thorn in her side for many years. And recently tried cutting off their trade routes by attacking their merchant vessels.

"At this moment, we only have access and control here in Arendelle, Blackmane showed me a map of the region. Weselton is heavily under Templar control. Along with Arendal and Oslo. Barcelona, London, among other places. Even Stockholm is under Templar influence. Yet the closest templar controlled city is Weselton. Where I am sure the Duke is planning something, my ship was nearly attacked on the way here had we not gone into the storm at sea to keep our pace." Matthew said.

When he was finished speaking Elsa was strangely quiet, carefully thinking before speaking her mind, finally she said. "I gave leave to Blackmane to rebuild as needed in certain locations. And she gave you the contract as you call it, to reclaim and rebuild Arendelle. Spending money to make money in a manner of speaking. Yet outside the kingdom, there are other places, Weasltown for example. We cut off trade with them after their duke wronged me."

"So I hear tell." Matthew replied calmly. "For such a small man, he's long winded, and rather loud." That made Elsa snicker at those words. Nearly breaking down into laughter in fact. "However, we have another problem. The Templars are the primary threat yes, and Hans family has ties to the Templars directly, only two of his brothers, his eldest brothers I might add, aid our cause in their own provinces of Denmark to the south."

"That is a problem yes. But how will it affect us ? Weaseltown is to the east, towards sunrise. Not to the south." Elsa said. Matthew nodded.

"My goal is to keep you safe whatever the cost. When others of my order arrive, they'll aid me in that task allowing me to do other contracts as needed. And also to speak with Pabbie about some things important to me." Matthew never voiced it, but he wanted to speak to Pabbie about the fear he had instilled within Elsa, at some point, Elsa was going to have to face her fear, and freezing her sisters heart was only a tiny portion of that fear. But like all moment of truths, when Elsa was to face it, she'd face it alone.

"How many more of your order are coming ? Your brotherhood was it ?" Elsa asked, Matthew nodded, counting a few times he then shruged his shoulders, he had no idea how many were to arrive, or when. But he did know that some of Tiri's girls were to arrive soon and use that faction building he'd just renoed for the Bordelo Girls. "So in relation to the Templars, what is our other problem ? Besides Hans and his ... goons." Elsa asked.

"The CIA." Matthew replied. At her confused look he explained "Central Inlligence Agency. A spy program similar to the Templars and Assassins. Only more well known throughout the world. In this case, when you sent out that dagger, it went to them, their post office, I went in and stole it from there in order to get the summons to Blackmane as per the creedo statement." Matthew explained. "Most likely, they'll be coming for me." He said.

"And before they get here, you rebuild Arendelle as much as you can, and get people to trade and sell here as when my grandparents had done, and also keep myself and Anna safe from harm. Right ?" Elsa said. Matthew nodded. "The only thing I do not understand is. Why now ?"

"I wish I could answer that. But alas I cannot. Not at this time at least." Matthew said thoughtfully. "Illitain told us nothing, even in his final moments of his death, yet he told us plenty that we have to figure out. There are many Templars, and just as many districts of Arendelle as there are Templar Towers. The more Towers I destroy and unfurl the Arendelle Assassins flag upon, the more we can rebuild the kingdom to its former glory. But to do so, will take a lot more work than we think."

"You said it yourself, The Marketplace District, and now the Arendelle Port are under Assassin control. You are doing something for the people at the very least." Elsa said. A smile on her face. Matthew nodded. "You will need founds I think, I can have Kai draw up an account for you. You'll get discounts for your brotherhood when it comes to buying items at places you renovate. I will let you worry of the percentage when the time comes, in the mean time, I'm starting to wonder what is keeping dinner.."

Kai came in shortly along with Anna, Kristoff and Olaf, Sven being a reindeer, was not typically allowed within the castle itself, yet Elsa tolorated both Kristoff and Sven, heck if a Snowman could wander the castle, let the Reindeer wander it with him. Worst thing that could happen, Elsa mused at the time to the guard who complained, was that all they had to worry about was stepping in reindeer poop. That comment alone made Elsa snicker at the time. The guard, Illitan, was not the least bit amused.

Dinner was brought out shortly after an account was created, Matthew figured a fifteen percent deduction on renovations in all the districts of the Kingdom of Arendelle, which included all outlaying villiages within the Kingdoms banner reach. Only renovated stores could give the discount, Matthew insisted upon that. Stores premade and still open were not to worry of a discount of any kind. Elsa agreed, Anna liked the idea of rebuilding Arendelle to its former glory and the idea of Oakens maybe moving into the city proper.

"Is he still selling as he wanders the wilderness ?" Matthew asked, Anna and Kristoff both nodded. Yes, he was indeed still selling his goods as he wandered, never settling a permament shop location either.

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **The Next Morning, just after midnight**

 **30 June 2050**

Matthew had been invited the night before to stay within the castle at his old room, which even though Elsas abilites had been mostly rebuilt into a beautiful ice room of sorts. Matthew however was simply inclined to remain in the old room even though it was damaged slightly by water and the blizzard of seven years before. He did not mind it. He went over notes he'd brought along. Elsa was acting every bit the queen she was meant to be. Yet thrust into it so soon with the loss of her parents. It was something to worry about indeed.

And yet. Matthew mused on things carefully. Taking all angles into consideration before making any choices of direction for him to take. For the moment, he decided, he'd sleep in his own bed for once rather then within an Assassin Den pillow room filled with incense.

A knock came to his door. He recognised it. "Come in." He said, he stood at the window, looking out towards mostly nothing. Yet thinknig at the same time. Elsa stepped inside and closed the door behind her. "Something troubles you Elsa, might I be so bold as to ask what it is ?"

"You explained to me why you took so long to get back to me here. And when you defended Anna and I at the market yesterday. I did not get the time to properly thank you for saving our lives." Elsa said, but there was something else. Matthew felt it.

"What truly troubles you Elsa, please, tell me everything." Matthew then listened carefully as Elsa told him the entire story. From the death of her parents the news of which reaching her as a teen, the thought of losing even him. Forgetting everything she had learned up to that point and then three years later becoming queen, trying to conceal her fears and keep her powers in check unseen. Until Anna pushed a bit too far. But Elsa did not blame Anna, she blamed herself. None else took the blame for what she had done. Anna merely was part of something greater than herself.

Elsa then explained the freezing of the kingdom, how it lasted almost a tenday before she thawed it all out and made the ice rink good and proper. She explained Hans dirty dealings and his plans at the time, kill her, take control of Arendelle. Kill her sister. All of it.

She then explained how Anna sacrficed herself to save her life as well as her own. Matthew smiled at that. "What Pabbie said was true. At the time he was trying to tell you that fear, your fears, were to be your greatest enemy. And yet, you overcame them. To an extent." Matthew never could explain it, but he knew in his heart that Elsa still had to face her fears.

He turned from the window and crafted up a chair for himself and Elsa to sit within as Elsa continued her sad tale up until six weeks before when she detailed carefully, not missing out anything for Matthew to take it in completely, she had left out a minor detail.

She held out something. It was not a snowflake, but Matthew recognised it as a piece of Eden of some form. Matthew took it in his hand, Examining it carefully he spoke. "Amazing they can be so small."

"What ?" Elsa asked, comeplete confused at what Matthew was saying. "What can be so small ?"

"This is a Piece of Eden. One of many, scattered across the world in fact. Apparently this one is designed primarily for something important. A key of some form I think." Matthew explained. He pointed out intricate lines on the thing. "You see these lines, they make up a codec of sorts. I will have to let Blackmane or Taku see this. See what they can make of it. Where did you find it ?"

Elsa smiled thinly and said "When Blackmane asked to see the man that tried to hurt Kristoff, those were his belongings. I... wanted to show it first to you, not to her. I well, Blackmane has yet to show me that I can trust her like I trust you."

"I see, so instead of trusting the legend as it told to do so. You instead held out, and let her see only so much. Keeping secrets anyone can do, but do it right and there are somethings that not even the Trolls can find out about you." Matthew said. The time was just aftermidnight and he could see clearly that Elsa had pretty much zero sleep that night since the attack in the Market. Matthew stood up. "I think it is time that you get some rest. You deserve it, I wont sleep tonight, I will stand directly outside your door to ward off trouble." He said, He took Elsa by the hand and helped her stand. He then went with her to her room and made sure she was comfortable in bed before exiting and placing a snowlock on the door before taking up a proper post in front of the door.

Matthew did not have to wait long for trouble to begin however, because shortly after the third hour did footsteps sound in the hall, the changing of the guard, he shifted his vision and disappeared in a flurry of snowflakes. Hiding within a suit of armor standing not far away he easily saw what occurred. Two men arrived, both of them dressed in Templar robes. Ha, these were not simple footmen either. He listened to their conversation carefully as they passed by. Speaking of what occurred the afternoon before in the courtyard ice rink. It was most interesting to these men to hear of it. Both men were concerned, and yet both wanted to pledge allegience to Elsa, but at three in the morning ?

Not gonna happen. Both men were trying to pick the frozen lock on the Queens bedroom door when Matthew acted as if he were wandering off for a cup of coffee. "Oh hello Gents, something I can help you with ?" Matthew acted as if he just came on the scene and was barely even awake. So he acted the part well enough by asking "Ya mind standin' still ? I see six of you."

The two Templars looked at each other then nodded, "You must have missed the kitchen." One said, pointing in the direction of the dining hall, "Its that way, I think the cook is awake, if not one of the many servents should have something for your sleepwalking."

Matthew thanked the two and ambled off in a sleepy stumble, bonking into random objects as he moved along. Making it as believeable as possible. The more these dorks believed he was wandering in his sleep, the better off he was as a whole.

However he had not rounded the corner before both men fell dead to the floor, frozen solid from Elsas own ice power from inside the door. Two ice spikes withdrew themselves back into the door and faded away as both men were dead. Allowing Matthew to examine both bodies and gain items.

There was a rather important letter on one of the two men. Matthew cracked its seal and read it carefully. It was a bounty. He read it carefully.

" _As instructed; you are to eliminate Queen Elsa by any means necessary. The payment has been given, No qustions were asked. Somebody with power, wants this poor fool dead. Failure is not an option._

 _The Duke_ "

Matthew smiled, he'd teach Elsa, not just how to control her powers, but how to use her powers as a means to regain her Kingdom once and for all. With that thought he frost the note solid. It shattered into tiny snowflakes that he made then fade away in the wind. Morning was soon to arrive, and when it did arrive, Matthew would be ready.

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Daybreak**

Dawn broke, Matthew had unlocked Elsas door to allow her to exit when needed, placing snowflakes at locations in the hall and around her windows allowed him to keep tabs on who entered her bedroom at any given time. He knew his limits and never imposed on Elsa to bug her bedroom with the snowflakes. Knowing full well that she herself could protect herself within her own room. That and he felt like a peeping tom if he tried to lay out a few snowflakes in her bedroom.

But at that moment it did not matter, Matthew was walking along a paraphet outside the main castle when a curier came up to him. "Sir, this is for you, it is most important." He handed a letter to Matthew and then took his leave. Matthew opened it.

" _Matthew,_

 _I sent this letter to you in the hopes that you will know before Blackmane that her sister, Snowfeather, is now enroute to Arendelle. She left the day after you get this letter. Activate a transportation array when you get this letter to send back a reply. Upon completion of the reply Snowfeather will depart for Arendelle by ship._

 _Munkustrap Graymane, Mentor_ "

Matthew nodded, and folded the letter, he went to a secluded place and activated a transportation array unseen, he wrote up his reply and sent it before closing the transport array and leaving the turret for a brief morning walk. Munkus wanted to warn him that Snowfeather was coming, what about Blackmane ? Why was he warned and not her ? Was Snowfeather and Munkus plotting something ? So many questions flooded Matthews mind as he walked in thought along the castle grounds. Passing many soldiers he paid them little heed. Even though some of them he knew were watching him carefully.

Matthew knew he'd need to be careful the next few days to a tenday. It was not a fast trip to Arendelle by any means to be sure. However. Matthew knew some tricks to not being seen, so he figured he could work on liberating and recruiting Assassins within the city.

And his first task was to completely liberate the docks. Which meant to liberate the port before Snowfeather arrived. He headed in that direction, he had work to do.


	5. Seqeunce 2 Memory 2

_**The Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **IV**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Sequence 2**_

 _ **Memory 2: The Icebreaker**_

 **12 July 2050**

 **Arendelle Docks**

 **Predawn**

Matthew stood on the outlook, far above the Templar den below, he'd just slain the Templar Den commander. Another high ranking soldier. Thankfully he'd managed to do it during the night. Using his natural skills as an Assassin to do the deed. Climbing quickly up to the next level he hung for but a second or three before grabbing the man standing atop the rig. Reaching up quickly he ensnared the man and yanked the poor sod off the rooftop. _One of these days._ Matthew thought, _I'm going to teach Elsa how to do this and put that sword to good proper use._

Elsa had surprised him the day he had arrived when she had summoned the Arendelle Guard to the Rink within the Castle Courtyard. It was not unexpected, but it was something that most never really thought about, Elsa was ready to retake her kingdom and now the Templars knew it. Even if it meant getting her hands dirty. Matthew could see already that the Marketplace and the castle districts along with the recently liberated Docks were thriving more than they had ever been.

He'd just lit the signal fire for the Arendelle Port, it had taken him nearly two weeks to reclaim the docks completely, both the Docks and the Port itself were under Assassin control, and thusly he began renovating shops and stalls. Vendors selling goods he made sure to keep active. And only those he renovated did he get a discount for the Assassins.

He was also at the port for reason due to ships coming and going, standing orders were given that all visitors were to speak with Kai in terms of greetings, along with brief introducing before moving on. If anyone was on the list that Kai held, they were instructed to seek out the man named Matthew at the Castle Ice Rink. Elsa in the l ast two weeks, had spent more time on the Ice rink with Matthew practsing between the two for hours each day until guests were brought up.

But this day was different. Matthew knew it was different because of the flag on a ship that was still a long ways from the docks. Barely seen out on the seas as it headed for Arendelle. But he recognised the flag. Snowfeather was to arrive any moment. And he was still renovating the Port. And yet. He now had the docks and port under his control as the signal fire was lit and he leaped into a haystack down below. He then headed for the docks as the ship drew nearer

 **Port of Arendelle Fjord**

 **Aboard the Assassin ship Bluesparrow**

 **Dawn**

"Land ho!" Went the cry as the fjords of Arendelle were sighted. Snowfeather smiled. They were almost there. Word had been sent, and upon receiving the confirmation of the summons, they then left port at Alexandria in Egypt. Heading to Arendelle as planned. Snowfeather had some contracts that needed completion And in order to do it she brought along some of her retainers and recruits from Alexandria. One of them, known commonly among the Templars as The Scorpion, a man named Mark Wolfe, was onboard as her second in command.

Recently promoted to second rank Assassin of the Cairo Egypt Assassins, and assigned to Snowfeather in Alexandria from his own Den Master Trasuf. Mark was aiming to make a name for himself as an Assassin. He wanted to run his own Den in any city he could pick. But when Snowfeather summoned him to travel to Arendelle with her, the sound of the name itself made him wonder what the city was about.

Mark stood at the prow of the ship well before sunrise, every day the entire voyage, each morning before sunrise, Mark was on the Prow, staring ahead, thinking carefully over past contracts, present contracts, and what the name Arendelle meant in the real world. He'd studied the place carefully the last six weeks. The last two weeks of which were on the ship. At this point he knew the brief history of the kingom. Timelost in a manner of speaking. Its location alone, well north of Oslo Norway. Hidden amid the many fjords the country possessed. Technology had yet to make a solid footprint within the vast Kingdom.

That was where Mark was, on the prow, wondering what the name Arendelle meant, he knew it was both a Kingdom, and a port city. But what he did not know, was who ran it, and why it was still a Kingdom. The only thing he knew however was that the name of it made it sound rather, exotic, if one liked the subzero tempertures in the wintertime. Or the majestic vistas and fjords and lakes the country possessed. Or if one just liked to see Templars sinking to the bottom of the many fjords. Either one.

"Once more on the prow are we ?" Came a soft voice. That of Snowfeather Elisar, the Den Master of the Alexandria Egypt Assassins. Mark did not answer his Mentor, at least, not right away. Snowfeather continued. "Ever since Lansing went to Arendelle two weeks after Blackmane had. You have studied the place. I wonder of why, yet you never speak of it. So on our last day on this ship for time being. I want you to tell me what exactly you have learned on this trip."

Mark knew he could not keep secrets from his Mentor. So he said with his eyes locked on the city port far ahead. "Arendelle, the sound of it alone makes me wonder of its beauty, a Kingdom with a ruling matriarch. Yet, untouched by time or technology. Rumors of magic still at play as well I read often."

"Yes; there is magic here, similar to my own spells, but not entirely the same. You know of Lansing and his skills." Snowfeather said, Almost all the Brotherhood knew of Matthew Michaels powers over ice and snow and cold weather. Making it snow at any point to cool off a blisteringly hot day. "But I wonder why do you stand out here on the prow of the Bluesparrow, each morning when the sun rises ?"

"Because I want to see what is ahead. Why are wegoing to Arendelle, and what it holds for me ?" Mark said.

"For one thing, we were summoned, for another, we need to rebuild the brotherhood here. And for a third, I will let you find out what it holds for _you_. In the mean time, get your gear together. We will dock soon and I want you to be presentible. I hope you do not mind the cold."

"How can I mind the cold when you keep the air conditioning at minus 5 at the Alexandria Den ?" Mark grumbled. Snowfeather had been setting the thing at minus five or lower lately, possibly to get him ready for his next assignment ? Why Norway ? Arendelle was so far off the beaten path that it made little sense to the man. "Maybe you can answer a question for me Snowfeather." Mark said thoughtfully.

"Speak it then" Snowfeather replied. It was her way of teaching, letting the recruits speak their mind, learn as they speak with her of many topics. In this case, it was rather interesting to see and hear such questions. Because she liked mind games. Battle Chess she called it.

"Why Norway ? What importance is it to our cause ?" Mark asked. It did not really make much sense to him, Norway was out of the way, untouched it seemed, by technology and the passing years. So what importance did it have ?

"Actually that is two questions but I'll answer them both, I'll start with the second question. Norway itself is not important, some areas of it however are indeed quiet important. In this case, Arendelle. _The country is still a kingdom_ , not a republic or similar. But a Kingdom. Before the british empire fell during the American revolution nearly three hundred years ago; they too were a Kingdom. It is ruled by a Queen, one skilled and powerful as well, not just with money or leadership, but with something else."

"Magic." Mark spoke up. Snowfeather turned to him. "You speak of magic, this Queen, possesses magic or a spell book, or maybe is a wizard ?" He said thoughtfully.

Snowfeather smiled, "When you meet her today I will let you figure it out. She is Lansing's student." Snowfeather rarely spoke Matthews real name and referred to him by the name of his den he mastered in Lansing. She turned to leave, but it was Marks voice that stopped her.

"You mean we're to meet with the leadership of Arendelle upon arrival rather than speak with Blackmane ? Why ?" Mark was confused, he was used to first getting to a location, finding the den, speaking with the den leader and then from there taking a path out to safety and hidden spaces to find his targets. So why was he going to meet with the Queen of Arendelle ? It made zero sense to the man, but he went along with it anyhow. He had no idea however just how deep into the snow he was about to get.

"Yes" Snowfeather replied, she turned to leave "Get your gear and meet me at the gangplank when we dock, our first task is to find Lansing and speak with him. I do believe he is watching for us already as it is." With that she left the prow and went to her quarters aboard the Bluesparrow. Leaving Mark to focus on his current objectives. In this case, gather his gear and wait for her at the gangplank upon docking in Arendelle.

With her back to him he knew she could hear him speak, so he spoke in Norse, which he'd learned well before arriving. He spoke to one of the crew, who looked at him as if in shock. But nodded and did as told. Two seconds later and there was a hilarious spluttering as Snowfeather found herself tossed over the side into the icy waters. But then with her spells and skills, she easily dried herself once back aboard. Mark though was busy getting his gear and Snowfeather was not a happy camper. However Mark smiled behind his facemask as a soaking wet Snowfeather slogged past his cabin aboard the Bluesparrow; she never looked his way.

 **Arendelle Docks**

 **Midmorning**

It was about two maybe three hours later when Elsa actually woke up in bed. The last two weeks had been a rush. Matthew was back, Blackmane was busy rebuilding several locations around the city, one of which Elsa actually tried to avoid rebuilding, but Blackmane insisted the reconstruction of the Courtesans' building in the Port District. She had tried to dissuade Blackmane, but the Assassin mentor heard none of it.

Insisting that the Courtesans served as means of getting information when Templar soldiers were around them. Elsa had given in after a day of debating it carefully, and seeing her friends' point. That and making sure that Anna was not to get involved with the Courtesans in any manner. Anna was above that for certain. Esla however had imposed a small tax on the Courtesans in regards to what information they found. They like everyone else had to pay a yearly tax on their building, though the percentage was not set, any information they gathered could also pay the tax once a year.

Elsa donned her battle dress. Matthew had told her, that as his student in the Assassin arts two weeks before. That she needed a new type of dress that was more suited for battle than for ruling a country. So she had created for herself using a suit of armor made for her needs; a battledress of pale silvery blue shot through with a shimmering of sapphire. It turned heads here and there, but not many really noticed it. Which was fine for her.

Well almost nobody noticed it. Gerda was rather against her making and wearing the battle dress as of that morning. "I must say my Queen, you are not going out in that outfit! It does not look proper the way a Queen should dress!" She said Elsa hjad to smile inside, It was the first time Gerda had ever seen the battle dress, much less heard she was making one.

"Relax Gerda, please, I'm Matthew's student again, he's the one that said I am to make a new means for me to dress when I study under his teaching. Relax, please. I will still wear my other dresses when not under Matthew." Elsa said, trying to calm Gerda, the elder maid was stern yes, after all Elsa had grown up with the maid doing everything for her when needed or called upon.

Gerda seemed to relent, then finally nodded "Very well my Queen, What will you need for me to do then ?"

"When it requires repairs, can you repair the cloth ?" There was only so much she could do with ice she shot into the dress she had worn when crowned Queen. "Like you did for my other dress a few weeks ago ?" Her normal dress, the one she had worn mostly since fleeing Arendelle seven years before had required repairs and extensive cleaning since that first attack in the dining room eight weeks before. So Gerda had carefully repaired and cleaned the dress and cape so skillfully that Elsa made sure that Gerda had only the best tailors in the Kingdom at her beck and call.

Gerda smiled then, something she could do for the Queen was indeed wonderful for her. "Of course Elsa, I will repair when needed. Unless you do it yourself. Hopefully replacing the cloth will be easier than the last time." Gerda had admitted there were no dyes that made the beautiful silvery blue cloth that Elsa had created when she made her Ice Palace seven years before. But Gerda had done her best, but even then Elsas normal wear was now a darker shade of sapphire green. But still glittery with ice

Elsa slid into the battle dress; it was similar to Matthews own Assassin outfit design. It was soft, on a whim she shot it through once more with a lighter shade of sapphire. Then it felt right. The steam floated off the cloth and ice she had just used. It was oddly warm that day. She had barely slept the night before due to the strange warmth outside and inside her room. Which caused her to cause a small blizzard at least to cool the room a bit.

Giving Gerda a hug Elsa left the room. It was, she mused, the first time Gerda had ever seen the battle dress to begin with. That made Elsa smile all the more. The last two weeks and Gerda never knew until just then. Heh. It was funny. Elsa went t othe stairs and started down. Nobody took notice of her. She seemed more intent on her training and did as Matthew instructed.

 _To see differnetly you must think differnetly. Look between the lines and see the true motives_ rang in her head. It was not Matthews teaching but Blackmanes. She did just that. Focusing her senses she noticed strange outlines around several soldiers of the Arendelle Guard. All of them pale blue, friends ? Elsa blinked and her vision returned to normal. She needed to see Matthew; her sight never did that before.

She headed for the marketplace, Matthew said to meet her there at morning when she got up, he was constantly wandering the Port, the Docks, and the Marketplace districts renovating shops and reopening empty faction buildings. She was still iffy when it came to the Courtesans, but Elsa decided to wait and see if they could prove their worth. She practised mostly how to blend in as people moved about, None really took notice of her as she moved through the Castle and out into the Marketplace district.

She saw Matthew, briefly as he swan dove off a tower at the Port district and headed in that direction. He'd been out all morning and said to meet her at the Port District Den. It made sense to focus on the areas closer to the castle to clear out and reopen sooner than the other districts. The Arko district devided the main part of the city itself from the castle and port by a single long bridge.

Arendelle sat on a total of two, maybe three islands plus the mainland, the castle itself sat on the furthest island from the mainland, connected to it by way of the Bridge that went from the Castle Gates, and the Marketplace District, to the Port and Dock Districts, and then from there to Arko District, which was more of the Arendelle Guards living areas than a district, there was no shops there, but there were plenty of empty faction buildings in the district. It was the primary residental area for the Arendelle Guard.

Each district had towers that poked out at the sky far above. Some of which had signal fire stands within their peaks. One of which Elsa had watched Matthew light not two weeks before when he liberated the Docks from the Templars, and then that morning, or rather, she mused, the night before when he had her help him. He taught her how to look at her surroundings to climb up unhindered and to light the signal fire when he gave the word to do so. Which she had. And it scared her on how to get down. But she had seen him do it at the time.

She had done it all, waited for his word to light the fire after climbing up and lighting the signal fire. Matthew had explained that when the signal fire was lit, it told all Templars within the district to clear out before fighting occurred. However, the only way to light the signal fire was to eliminate the Templar Captain in command of that district. But it was when she was at the top of the tower and had lit the signal fire when she froze in her tracks, it was a long way down. She'd spotted the hay pile, sure, that was easy enough, they were all over the Kingdom. Apparently by tall towers and all stables. She'd seen Matthew do it more than a dozen times. She took a deep breath and pushed off the ledge. Flipping onto her back she had landed perfectly in the haystack

Elsa shook her head to break herself back to the present. The night before was a rush of motion, learning, and experience to earn as Matthew called it, ever since he took her back under his wing, he had not just taught her, but had also begun training her in secret arts that only he and Blackmane really knew about. Of course she had seen him in combat. She smiled, the way he used her sword she'd made of ice was amazingly skilled. Like a dance. She could not get his movements out of her mind.

In fact she was so focused on her memories, on Matthew once more teaching her, that she failed to notice walking through a bilzzard. Well, first off, the cold never bothered her to begin with. That and Matthew was also a bit focused as well trying to renovate a tunnel entry.

"It is about time you woke up." Matthew said from behind her. He'd felt her pass through him. Being the master of ice and snow allowed things to pass through him, including people, completely harmlessly. Which allowed for him to do some fun. For example, taking down the Templar soldiers. However more had filled their ranks in recent days.

Elsa stopped in her tracks. Without turning she smiled, saying. "You're the one that kept me up almost all night. don't you remember. Lighting the fire, clearing out the Port. Beginning renovations." She turned to face him, Matthew had just finished work on a tunnel door. It looked quite nice in fact. At least as far as she was able to tell. "Still renovating ?" Elsa asked.

Matthew stood. "Yes, this time I am repairing some tunnel entries, a few wells in this district were also repaired and replaced in some areas. They needed it I'll be honest with you there." Matthew said, he rattled off a short list of shops he had renovated, three tailors, six art merchants, nine blacksmiths, four doctors and ten faction buildings, after Elsa was still the Queen; and sometimes she needed to be informed, even though she was also a recruit to the Brotherhood to begin with. Finally he said "What kept you ?"

Elsa didn't smile, Instead she sighed and rubbed her neck, "Woke up late, it was well after breakfast when I got up. Ran into Gerda." Elsa then explained how Gerda reacted at first to the battledress. Having never seen it until that morning. "She was pretty insistent that I wear something less revealing. But after I explained that I'm your student again and its required for my studies she relented. I then asked her if she could make repairs to it as time progresses as well. She agreed." Elsa said.

Matthew nodded, he personally liked what Elsa had come up with. Neatly tight fitting cloth covered her legs, torso and arms. Designed after his own outfit pattern he noticed that right away when she first made it two weeks before. She was trying to mimic his own outfit pattern. Ontop of that, reveal a bit more like her dress had. Of course the silvergreen dress needed repairs and cleaning, Gerda was marvalus at such a task. "I think it works out good enough." He said. "though I can image that Gerda was not happy at how you looked to her. After all, she had yet to see you wearing that. I for one will not judge, I will however state that you look every bit an Assassin if I say so myself."

That made Elsa smile. So she then asked "What are you waiting for now ?"

"Our guests are shortly to arrive at the Marketplace district, their ship has just docked. We'll find them there." Matthew replied, then he saw the thoughtful look on Elsa's face. "What is it ?" Elsa then explained her sudden almost black and white vision and the blue outlines around some of the Guards at the Castle. Matthew smiled. "You're learning then it seems. You see, every Assassin has the ability to see beyond normal vision. You possess the ability as well. I think it will soon come natural to you the more you use it."

"But I only remembered that you said to think of things different, to see different. Or some such." Elsa replied. Matthew had to smile, she was still his student, but there was only so much he himself could teach to her.

"You are still learning, and yes, it is one way to see things differently. Come. Let us meet with our new arrivals, there is someone I want you to meet." With that Matthew lead the way through various crowds of people as they moved from the Port to the marketplace. It was time to make some new friends. That, and for Matthew, gain some help in protecting someone important.

Two men however sat at a side table at one of the many outside eating places within the Port District. Both men were watching Matthew, and his new apprentice, rather carefully. Both men were dressed in commonr clothing, yet they were everything but commenors. They continued to observe as Matthew and Elsa left their sight. But they did not get up to follow. Not yet, it was not yet time. They still had work to do before they could follow their targets.

 **Arendelle Castle Marketplace**

 **Noon**

It was nearing noon when the ship finally pulled into port, Mark saw the signal fire far above on a tower with a ledge poking out the side. A viewpoint. It was natural to seek the things out as quickly as possible when visiting a new area. But this was Arendelle, he'd seen the castle as they got into Port, as massive as it was almost all of it was a pale bluish hue in color. Some areas he saw, were completely made of glass, or was it ice ? This part of the world it got deathly cold at night during the winter. In this case however. It was something more to this place than what met the eye on first glance.

"We're here" Snowfeather said as the gangplank was lowered into place. Mark turned to her as she continued speaking, taking some of her gear, as he was, after all, in her retinu to begin with. "Our first task is to speak with Lansing and the Queen. Be on your best manners. This wont be a walk in the park, and the Queen is no pushover either." She told him, Mark nodded. Orders were orders. Snowfeather continued. "Next thing to remember is view points, after we meet the queen and with Lansing, you are to find the nearest viewpoint and get the lay of the land as quickly as you are able. Try and not let anyone see you do it. We're trying to make friends here, not enemies."

"And yet by the look of things, our enemies are here already." Mark pointed towards a tower not far away in another district, Arko he later learned. It was next on Elsa's agenda to clear of Templar Influence.

When Snowfeather caught sight of the tower a hand went to her forehad, Finally she spoke "Alright, new plan, after we meet with the Queen, light that signal fire as quickly as possible without starting a fight in that area whatsoever. Best case scenario we get through without getting noticed at all, worst case scenario, well, there is already blood on our hands as it is." Snowfeather stepped down the gangplank, Mark right behind her. She continued speaking "Take down the Templar Captain or Overseer in the area of that tower, but do so while undetected. It will be the only way to finish this. If the Templars are here than our job just got harder. Come, let us meet with Lansing. No doubt he is waiting for us now." Mark nodded and fell in step behind Snowfeather.

The two of them moved through the throng on the docks and headed after inquiry towards the castle, where the Marketplace District was located. They did not go far however when they came across some ice on the road. Someone had just been through there. Someone with really incredible powers to leave ice on the roadway like that. It looked like a puddle of water. But it was actually ice cold to the touch, and solid as well.

What was interesting was the small convoy of sorts of people. Consisting of Mark, his Den Master, Snowfeather, the elder twin sister of Blackmane, and her retainers and supprt personel. Whom were sent to either remain on the ship, or go to the nearest den. Which was easier said than done. As there were many dead being moved out from a recent combat zone.

Walking in step behind Snowfeather, Mark took in everything around him, from the sights of the buildings, to the sounds and smells. And the most interesting things to see. A snowman chasing a butterfly ran by to his left. Two men were sitting under a large umbrella. Another man was selling really beautiful designed rugs... Wait a second! _A snowman chasing a butterfly ?_ Mark turned his gaze quickly and tapped Snowfeather on the shoulder "Am I seeing things ?"

"Seeing things ?" Snowfeather asked him ? She too had noticed the snowman run past chasing the butterfly. She smiled, "What does your heart tell you ?"

"Nothing, its my mind I am worried about, I have never seen a snowman outside of winter chasing a butterfly." Mark said quietly as the two walked along. They did not have much further to go however as they soon came upon a man and two women not far ahead within the Marketplace District. One of the women Snowfeather saw, was redhaired, yet Snowfeather saw clearly the redhead had a stubborn streak. She could not see the other womans face or hair, due to being behind the woman, but then she knew the Queen was standing before her regarding the look and feel of ice on the womans clothing. Apparently emotions played a strong part between these two.

Snowfeather listened to their conversation carefully. "No Anna, I don't want you getting mixed up with the Courtesans. Its bad enough we have them in the kingdom anyway, but Blackmane insisted, saying that the Templars fall for them all the time and give out secrets. If I want to retake my kingdom, our kingdom, our home, then we have to do this the right way." The woman with her back to Snowfeather said.

"But Elsa! You heard what Miri said when she brought us the information! There's a Templar Tower in Arko. That's the most residental district in the kingdom on any of the islands!" Anna said. She wanted to go herself and clear the area. But Elsa said no.

"No" Elsa said, shaking her head "For one thing it is too dangerous, Yes you came after me when I fled seven years ago, but taking on a Templar is not a good idea. Let Matthew or Blackmane do it. Please." Elsa siad, That seemed to hold her sister over, for the moment when Matthew spoke up.

"I agree with Anna on this one, the Templars currently hold a very important location, the residental district of the Arendelle Guard is within the Arko district, or is it the Arko District itself ?" Seeing Anna mouthing ' _it is district itself_ ' he slightly corrected himself. "I will see to it then that one of my own Brotherhood take care of it, if not myself, as I have to protect you both as per my promise to your father." Snowfeather noticed that mere mention of their parents made Anna seemingly look away and nod. Her sister was right. A tear unseen streaked from her eyes.

Snowfeather chose that time to step into view. "It is good to see you again Lansing. I see you have begun cleaning out the Templar trash." She said. "The last time I was here this area needed cleaning, yet none were here to do it."

Matthew smiled at her voice, he turned in greeting and stepped forwards, The two of them hugged briefly. Turning to Elsa and Anna he said, "Snowfeather, allow me to introduce you to Princess Anna, and Queen Elsa." He said.

"Hi" Anna said, giving a quick wave, she looked over Mark, the hooded man reminded her of Matthew, though at the moment Matthew's hood was down for the time being. Snowfeather smiled and nodded in greeting to the two as Elsa removed her own hood from her battledress.

Even in the battle dress, Elsa was barefoot. She sometimes just did not want to wear shoes at all, they pinched her feet at times, even when she had iced them over or made her own pair of shoes to wear. Even in the battledress, which looked to have shoes of some form, Elsa was actually barefoot at the moment. Nevertheless. Elsa's bright sapphire eyes caught Marks vision, and he just stood and stared. Transfixed on her face. Soft skin, beautiful eyes, bright blond hair shot through with crystals of ice and snow. Apparently one in charge as she was apparently the queen.

"Welcome to Arendelle" Elsa said to Snowfeather in greeting as the other woman bowed slightly in greeting to her, "I assume that you know each other or work together ?" She said to Matthew. Matthew nodded. "You look familiar to me. And yet I cannot place you." Elsa said to Snowfeather. "Why is that ?"

"You must mean my sister, Blackmane. She might have mentioned me, no ?" Snowfeather said, at Elsas shake of the head however Snowfeather introduced herself formally, "Snowfeather Elisar at your service your highness. Mentor and Master of the Alexandria Assassins to the far south."

"Yes; I have met Blackmane, "Elsa said with a nod, "It is rather unexpected that sending out the dagger would bring this many to us because of one man that troubled us at the time." Snowfeather glanced to Matthew, he merely mouthed, 'I'll tell you later' She gave him a look that said 'you'd better' Matthew just smiled.

"I will explain it later." Matthew said cutting off the gossip and memory in one shot. That was also helpful to Elsa as it felt oddly chill all of a sudden. "Now then, who is this silent one with you ?" Matthew asked, turning his gaze to Mark. The latter of whom could not take his eyes off Elsa's fair face at all.

At least not until Snowfeather all but slammed a open fist into his stomach to get his attention, mentally breaking off his staring he turned to Matthew and with a nod he merely stood silent as Snowfeather introduced him. "This is Mark Wolfe. Of Cairo Dens assigned to me in Alexandria. When Blackmane sent the summons for us to travel here, I brought him with me. I think he will do nicely here."

Matthew nodded, he liked the idea of more Assassins taking over the recently librated dens. With him and Blackmane at the headquarters den just outside the Marketplace district; they were spread thin as it was already. Even though they just opened up two new dens in the Ports and Docks

When Mark was introduced he at first looked to Matthew then to Princess Anna and her sister, So one of these two were the Queen ? They were sisters, which was the Queen and should he bow ?

Elsa beat him to his unasked question saying simply "It is nice to meet you Master Wolfe. I am Queen Elsa, of Arendelle, and this is my sister, Princess Anna." She said, giving rather more formal introductions. When he started to bow however, Elsa said simply, "Please, there is no need to worry of formalitty here; Not when I am in this garb at least." Well that saved him from one thing, he did not ever break his gaze off her beautiful face. "Matthew."

Elsa turned to Matthew who made to leave the area to visit the newly librated Den within the Port to assign a Den Master to it. And also to recruit and send out contracts. Blackmane was also in need of his advice as well concerning some old friends. He halted when he heard his name called and turned to face her. "Yes your highness ?"

"Get word to Blackmane that I want to speak with her about something. In private. It is quit important as well between the two of us, but I want to speak with Blackmane first concerning something for the Kingdom." Miri was one of the more trusting Courtesans, and had supplied Elsa with really strong information about Prince Hans that morning. Information that Anna wanted to act on.

"As you wish. I will let Blackmane know. My lady." Matthew then bowed, there was no way that Elsa could keep him from doing so because she was Queen, and when she gave orders, he naturally bowed upon taking them. And there was nothing she could do to tell him not to bow as he said it was force of habit and just to let it go. Which made her smile when he mentioned that tune.

All the while Mark never took his eyes off Elsa's face, her eyes mesmerised him completely, her voice sounded like a creekside, gentle yet powerful. As even a peaceful creekside could turn into a raging flash flood at the drop of a hat. He found himself wondering first and formost how old she was, and how she became Queen of such an exansive and Templar laden kingdom. Then he found himself standing on the side of a market staff with Snowfeather speaking to him. But he did not hear Snowfeathers voice, no he heard, at least for a moment longer, Elsas own voice in his ears; at least until Snowfeather slugged him in the stomach.

WHACK. That got his attention as Snowfeather repeated herself. "Are you staring at the Queen ?" She asked.

Mark smiled behind his mask "Well," he said, removing his hood, since they were in the presences of the royals. "They say that honesty is the best policy" That earned him another shot to the stomach, he made a mental note to visit a blacksmith as soon as he was able. Catching his breath he gasped out "I hope mine's paid up."

"Stop staring, its rude and judging by nature of things, causing some unpleasent feelings for our Queen." Snowfeather said, indicating frost spreading from Elsas barefeet. Though to everyone around her it looked as if she wore armored shoes, but it was just a front, she was barefoot and not even Gerda knew, yet. Mark straightened up and regained his breath, Snowfeather spoke up "Begging your pardons your Majesties, I and my fellow here have something impoirtant to attend to, where shall we see you again ?" Snowfeather said, apparently taking charge of the scene.

Anna and Elsa traded looks before Anna spoke up "if we're not here, we're either in the Castle Marketplace or the Castle Ice Rink Courtyard. If not in either place, well, Try not to chase butterflies." She stepped back as a butterfly darted past. Olaf right behind on Svens back.

Mark stared again, but this time at the talking snowman on the most MASSIVE reindeer he had ever seen in his life. A talking snowman chasing a butterfly while riding a reindeer the size of a small car. Ok... That is a new one. What made him stare all the more was how the towns people acted around the snowman. It was confusing.

Elsa just smiled, reached out to her sister and turned her around "Back to the castle with you sis, I'm coming with you. Gerda said something about some guests from Oslo I need to speak with. I want you there with me." Her sapphire eyes then looked towards Snowfeather and very briefly locked with Marks own bown ones. And for the briefest of moments, Mark felt the world fall away around him.

But it was so brief as Elsa broke the connection as she spoke towards Snowfeather. "Anna is right." She said, "You'll find us at the Castle, just speak with Kai or Gerda and give them this" Elsa crafted out of thin air a snowflake of sorts, with it was the Arendelle flag emblazed upon the ice crystal. "They'll instruct you from there."

Snowfeather accepted the crest and bowed, Mark too bowed as the two royals then left the area. "Well" Mark said thoughtfully "That went well"

"Yes" Snowfeather said, examining the Arendelle crest that Elsa had given her. Completely made from nothing but ice, it was cool to the touch yet never to melt, it was a very beautiful thing. "It went better than expected, come, let us find Lansing and Blackmane"

 **Arendelle Castle Icerink**

 **Midafternoon**

It was five minutes to three when Elsa had changed clothing, into her normal Queenly dress, The shimmering silvery blue dress was recently repaired and felt slightly heavy, With a flick of her hands ice flowed and her dress felt proper. And a bit brighter. She went to the mirror and made sure her hair was neat; _Forget putting it in a bun_ She thought, those days were long over. A single braid was all it took. That was all she really needed. And then a brief shot of ice and a few snowflakes were intwined in her braid. Perfect. With that she closed the wardrobe and left her room.

Meeting up with Gerda, who had a few Guards helping her move items, in this case, several boxes and three bolts of heavy silk. "I see you are busy this afternoon Gerda. Will dinner be on time ? We have two more guests with us, or did Matthew not inform ?"

"Master Michaels had informed Kai of our two guests for dinner this evening and saw to it that the chef was also informed. And you have two men wishing to speak with you, they say they are from Oslo and must speak with you as it is rather important and urgent that they speak with you and you alone. Preferably with Master Michaels present or at least one of the Assassins present."

Elsa thought but a moment, briefly remembering deep brown eyes before focusing and nodding, "Both myself and an Assassin will be present with them, After all, Matthew is teaching me, but not as he used to. Not to control my powers, but to use them to retake my Kingdom. So in a way, an Assassin will be present. Thank you Gerda." Elsa turned to leave, then she remembered "Oh, and Gerda, could you try to get hold of that shoemaker ? The last pair of shoes made for me hurt my feet, they pinched rather painfully."

Gerda smiled and nodded "Of course your majesty. I will inform them at once." Gerda knew then that Elsa was barefoot and could easily conjure some shoes from ice if she needed them.

With that Elsa turned on her heel and went to the throne room. Where her guests were waiting. Two people she did not expect to see as she entered. Anna knew the plan, wait two minutes then storm in ready to tackle whoever threatened her to the ground. But seeing who was there. The two men, brothers of Prince Hans, brothers that stood against everything Prince Hans family stood for; were waiting in the throne room.

Rather than allow Anna to enter within two minutes or at the sound of a threat. Elsa cast a snowflake lock on the door as she closed it behind her. She recognised Tuni instantly, mostly by his whistles when she entered, the wolf whistle the man gave off when she turned and locked the door only made her stiffen slightly before turning to look at the two. "Alright, Brun, why are you here ? Does your brother know ?"

"Hans knows nothing of why we're here; as far as our little brother knows, we're somewhere in Sweden hunting with Uncle Mack. Go ahead Tuni, tell her" Brun said, Elsa just looked at Brun, tell me what ? Was written all over her face. Tuni went into a long five minute spell of whistles and motions, and also spitting noises before finally nodding and pointing at Elsa, but all he got in return was a confused raised eyebrow. Looking to Brun for a translation Elsa moved towards the thrones. Taking a seat on the lower steps leading to the twin high backed chairs.

Brun motioned off Tuni, "She don't understand plain english. Elsa! Listen, you're in danger, your lifes hanging by a thread!" Brun said.

"Yeah, so is that dagger." Elsa jerked a thumb at the dagger where it hung over the twin throne chairs. She gave a dirty look to Brun. "What is this about Brun ? Why are you two here ?"

"Its the CIA." Brun said. With Tuni whistling and giving notes of what Brun mostly figured out through his brothers motions and whistles. Brun explained "The CIA tracked where the dagger was sent out of. We hard of it thanks to intercepting our younger brothers messeges. He's got a CIA plant, and he got wind of its arrival and subsequent disappearance. He knows something is going on here, but what is going on has him clueless. He's got no idea whats happening here in Arendelle since seven years ago, he's been working in other cites, mostly traveling to Oslo and Stockholm recently though. And also to Weselton and Taveras. And more recently to Constantinople. Its only a matter of time before he turns his eyes back to Arendelle."

"Matthew told me he had to get it from the CIA, whatever that group was. How they could track it here..." Elsa said.

"Hans had seen the dagger once before, and once told of its design by his plant in the CIA of America he gave information of where it came from. Its only a matter of time now before they show up here, and when they arrive, Hans might as well use their arrival as a means to regain this location. He wants Arendelle for his own ends. Trying to take down you seven years ago would have awarded him with a place ot call not just home, but a base of operations for his fellow Templars. His true motive is unclear. But the Duke however. He is in with him on the plot most likely." Brun explained.

Elsa looked up to the older man, "If your brother or the Duke step one foot within my boundry, I will know it. Best to advise your child of a brother that what he is doing is unwise." Elsa said, she stood up. Tuni whistled something from by the window and ducked away from it, turning to him Brun translated that he saw something he didn't really like and wanted to get away from the window.

It was a long moment before Elsa sighed and nodded. "Thank you Tuni, Brun, for telling me this, I'll inform Matthew. Now, you two must be tired after your journey. From the mountains of Sweden was it not ?" At Bruns nod Elsa went to the door and unlocked it, calling to Kai she ordered a room be made ready for two guests that night. And for the stables to be informed of a early morning pair that were to leave before sunrise. Brun thanked her and Tuni gave her a quick hug before the two followed Kai to their bedroom, both men went right to sleep.

Elsa herself remained in the throne room for a few moments long, her gaze looking to the dagger where it hung over her parents thrones. A single tear streaked down her face as she remembered the story, her mothers face as she told it. She hoped that the tale was true. Even though Matthew was back, and Snowfeather, and Blackmane, who was mentioned in the legend. No, no longer a hope, but knowing. It was true, the entire legend was true. Elsa knew it in her heart.

With that thought, she turned and left the throne room. Giving one more look to her parents thrones; and briefly, briefly she thought she saw her parents greeting guests before her accident with her sister. Elsa went to the door, stepped out, and then gently closed it behind her. Then, turning swiftly, she went back to her bedroom, closed the door, and sat against it, and sobbed. She missed her parents. It was ten years before they had died on that fateful trip.


	6. Seqeunce 2 Memory 3

_**The Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **IV**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Sequence 2**_

 ** _Memory 3: Inside Access_**

 **12 July 2050**

 **Arendelle**

 **Assassin Headquarters**

 **Noon**

Outside the Headquarters for the Assassins in Arendelle, Mark paced within the expansive training yard, initally run down and piled with trash and in ruin, Blackmane had done well in cleaning it up good and proper. "Let me get this right for once will you Snowfeather ?" He said calmly as he paced. "the Queen sends out a dagger, Blackmanes own hidden blade, and Blackmane gets it through Matthew Michaels, Den Master of the Lansing Den. Am I right so far ?" He said.

"So far." Snowfeather replied "Lansing sent me the dagger as per Blackmanes instruction, he got it from the CIA before they got wind of it."

"Well I got news for you, before we got summoned here I got notice from an old friend in the CIA, they know where it came from, they want Matthew, not the dagger." Mark said.

"Mark, I know of your work with the CIA in America, we stationed you there at the Mentors insistence we do so. But London has no quarrel with Arendelle nor will they ever find means to do so." Snowfeather replied, "Your contacts within the CIA proved useful to us all the time, even now. We have the edge there."

"So why us ?" Mark turned to her. "I do not mean why the Assassins here, but you and I, why did we come ?" Mark had a wild look to him; almost as if he were going through withdrawl. And in a way he was. Elsa was beautiful to look upon. First meeting be damned! He wanted to see her again, hear her voice, get lost in her eyes.

Snowfeather smiled. "So you were staring at the Queen weren't you." her black eyes shone brightly in the noonday sun.

"What does that have to do with anything ?" Mark asked, somewhat angered, then the full realisation of what Snowfeather just said hit him like a cement truck without brakes. Lifting a hand and pointing behind him, as if to the past he said "That was the Queen ? As in the ruler of this kingdom we're now in ?" Snowfeather nodded, "Alright, that's it, I couldn't take my eyes off her face. She's beautiful."

"And she is only twenty eight years of age." Snowfeather said, "Seven years she has had the Crown of Arendelle. But instead she does not wear it; nor does she sit on either of her parents thrones within the castle itself." Snowfeather explained. "However, the dagger hangs over both throne chairs within the throne room. Or it least it had, as the Queen must have sent out the hidden blade to summon my own sister."

"Impossible for her to be that young." Mark said with a shake of his head, "What year did her parents die ?"

"1980" Came the reply. But it was not Snowfeather, but Blackmane who spoke. "Queen Idun and King Christophe perished in the storm they lost their ship in, or so it is told."

"Not from what I hear tell." Said Snowfeather, Mark and Blackmane looked to her, "Queen Idun was captured by pirates during the third night of the voyage, her body was found two nights later, the next day the storm set upon them, they tried to outrun it, All hands were lost save for the King and Lansing, shortly after landfall, in the hospital I might add, King Christophe perished; next morning, Lansing was put on ICE for a month before he managed to escape by creating a blizzard so powerful, the worst that Ukraine had ever seen."

"Queen Idun, slain by pirates... King Christophe dies from the cold within a ICU... Matthew arrested hours later and put on ICE; so then Matthew created a blizzard the likes of which the world had never seen before to get away. A strange tale to be sure," Mark said thoughtfully. He sighed "One thing still does not make sense." He said

"And that is ?" Snowfeather asked.

"Why us ? Why am I here ?" Mark asked.

"That is for all of us to find out" Said a new voice as Matthew arrived on the scene. "Relax Master Wolfe. Tonight at dinner Elsa has requested that you and Snowfeather be present at her table. I said I'd inform you, preperations have been done, and you are expected. Say no and you might do more harm then good."

Snowfeather smiled, "Good then, we shall attend, doubtless you will attend as well or do you have other duties ?" Her gaze went from Matthew to Blackmane, the latter of whom spoke up.

"Matthews only contracts within Arendelle are to librate districts, and protect Queen Elsa and Princess Anna as much as possible. But there is only so much a single man, even if he is Old Man Winter, can do." Blackmane replied.

"Which is why we came I assume ? To help not just reclaim the city, but also protect the Queen and the Princess ?" Mark said. Matthew nodded, "So where do I come in ?"

"Your abilites with your voice, you can impersonate others well, and also call and use the birds and informers and helpers to protect and defend areas and zones. Ontop of that you also were planted within the CIA in Langley for a few years as well." Matthew said, rattling off a good long list of skills that Mark possessed.

"Yes, that is true, I was in the CIA for five years on your recommendation, and with my skillset and completion percentage. I was given heavy tasks, and wetwork tasks, but all of them I sent to the Assassins to take care of; hence the completion percentage being almost always one hundred percent out of the other agents. Most of them had a raito of one out of every five or one out of every ten missions or contracts ended up a failure or cold case, As far as I am aware, I was the only one with a solid record." Mark replied to Matthew with a nod.

"No doubt now the CIA wonder where you went off to when you sent your notice, or did you ?" Snowfeather said, Blackmane turned and opened the door to the den, allowing the other three to join her inside the expansive recently remodeled building.

Upon entering the foursome found some low chairs and sat down, Mark explained how the CIA managed to track whjere the dagger came from as well as its design, they also had a bead on Matthew as well, "Thanks to my mole still within the CIA, I found out they're going with a well known motorhome company called Tiffon Motorhomes and Entegra Coach; both of those motorhome companies working to make state of the art roaming vans for the advance scoutt teams of CIA operatives. My guess is that a few of them will come here to Arendelle, or to Oslo as the nearest actual city with roads large and strong enough to hold such craft."

Matthew smiled "The CIA had me on ICE for a month, a blizzard took me from their grasp. And yet now they want me back. Most interesting. And they also have seen the hidden blade I picked up, Taku swore the static field devices would keep me from being seeing on any of their camera networks. Of course I did not activate the thing until I was almost to the postal serivce counter to begin with." Matthew said thoughtfully.

"So you drew them here ?" Snowfeather said turning to Matthew.

"No, I allowed myself to be seen because I wanted to show the CIA that I was still alive. Not to where I had gone. How they figured we'd be here is behond me." Matthew replied.

"I might have an answer to that." Blackmane spoke up. Everyone turned to look to her as she held up a envelope. Pointing out the adress mark on it she said "The postal service in Oslo marks this location by these bars here. It locks down the location of destination, and in this case, where it came from. The dagger was sent out from the Castle of the Kingdom of Arendelle, as far as I am aware, it had been tracked as far as Oslo Postal Services."

"So the post office gave us away ?" Mark said

"Something like that. Another thing to remember is there are Templars here, Templars we need to eliminate in order to help Elsa retake her kingdom." Blackmane said "Between Matthew and myself we were able to only librate two districts in the last two weeks. We need to at least gain the mainland and have a focus point from there." She stood and went to the map of the city, Arendelle was devided into 71 districts, two of which. Docks and Arendelle Port districts, were librated already. Those two districts actually counted as but one district on the map, with two spereate areas.

Blackmane pointed out two districts, Arko, and across the bridge from it, Antiqutias District. The Arko district was critcal to maintaining proper Arendelle Guardsmen that were loyal to Elsa by all means. Which meant eliminating the templar influence in that area. Which was going to be quite troulbesome in and of itself. Mark pointed out several weak points. To which Blackmane pointed out several ways they planned to overcome such weaknesses.

Finally Snowfeather spoke up; "When we first met the Queen, there was something about the woman that made her appear on edge to me. I easily picked it up you understand, being skilled as I am" Most all of the Brotherhood knew of the various feline members, Snowfeather and Blackmane among them.

Blackmane nodded as did Mark, it was Mark however that spoke up; "I noticed nothing amiss when we met her previously, however, she did seem... tired; or saddened by something. Something from long ago perhaps ?"

"Possible, what day is today ?" Snowfeather said.

"According to those living here, its been ten years to the day since Queen Idun's body was found by myself and King Christophe on the Agean Sea. Seven years ago Elsa took the crown five days later, it was only two days later, two days from now in fact, when her father passed away in my arms". Matthew explained the entire doomed voyage to the three, Blackmane had heard it before. Mark however, had not.

When Matthew finished it was nearing dinner time. Mark spoke. "So that was why you were put on ICE in Ukraine seventy years ago. Well before my birth that is for sure. How its been seven years for these people is beyond me" Mark said, making it clear that time zones had been crossed sure, but missing nearly sixty goddamned years ?! That was something he planned to look in to.

"For the amount of time it took to get here, compared to how you got here, time still moves at the same speed, yet for here, somehow, Arendelle, and the nieghbouring kingdoms are all somehow slowed in terms of time. Years literally have no effect here" Matthew said, "I myself came here at first in the late sevenites, for three years I taught Elsa to control her powers, on how to do so mosly. And what she could do with her powers as well." All of the Assassins knew of Matthew's powers over ice and snow and wintry weather. "I spent three years here until going with the King and Queen on that doomed voyage. A month later and I'm walking into a plane for America, like nothing ever happened, like it was a bad dream."

"Was it ?" Mark asked.

"No, it was real, it was a memory I held onto for as long as I could remember, until a few weeks ago when Blackmanes hidden blade attachment came in the mail, that is what then got me back here. Back where I belong." Matthew said

"And so with us here, to help regain control of the kingdom, reopen shops and stalls scattered around, I saw a few still closed." Mark said.

"We have four banks now, plus we also have the backing and support of the Queen herself as well, so as long as we do our dirty work behind the scenes to keep the streets cleaned, and out the guards hair; we should be alright." Blackmane said.

"So what's the plan ?" Mark asked, setting his fists, knuckles down, on the table and looking at the layout of the city proper.

"At this moment the plan is for you two to get ready for dinner, it is within an hour from now when you have present yourselves to the Queen at the Castle Ice Rink Courtyard." Blackmane said, taking a brief look at the clock.

"I'm sorry" Mark said, raising a hand, "Ice Rink Courtyard ?"

After trading looks between themselves, Matthew rolled his eyes as Blackmane explained. "Queen Elsa made a ice rink courtyard in the original castle couryard after it was damaged during a deadly snowstorm. It was the same snowstorm that sent Prince Hans and the Duke away empty handed."

"So the Queen can create and use ice ?" Mark said, he pointed first to Matthew then at Snowfeather, "like you two ?" Both nodded "This just gets better and better." Mark said, he set his elbows on the table and ran a hand through his dark hair. "And let me guess, it was the face of the Queen that I was unable to take my eyes off ?" and Snowfeathers nod, Mark wolf whistled, "Yeah this day just got fun."

"Then you have your contract, which at this moment is to meet with the Queen for dinner, now get going. Both of you." Matthew said, he was Head assassin while within Arendelle, and that meant even Snowfeather listened to him.

 **Arendelle Ice Rink Courtyard**

 **Late afternoon**

Sven skidded on the ice trying to keep his balance as Olaf once again lost his carrot nose, the two of them were trying to get it back from a brightly colored parrot of some form. Occasionally scooping up parts of himself and chucking them at the bird to get it to drop the carrot soon Olaf's head went flying. Almost getting the carrot before plopping back onto his body. Olaf sighed.

"Its no use, that bird wont give back my nose!" Olaf said He shook his stick thin arm at the bird! "That's the last warm hug I'll give you!" Olaf said shaking his fist at the bird an angry expression on his face which lasted only seconds as the carrot landed dead backwards, on his forehead. "Comeon Sven lets get outta here! To the dining room!" Sven bellowed something and the two bolted off as Anna arrived with Kristoff.

"Are you sure you want to tell your sister this soon ?" Kirstoff was worried about something, seeing Olaf and Sven happy however was a good thing. Even though it had been seven years since the Great Thaw, Kristoff was nervous until that morning, Anna however was overjoyed. But she wanted to do something for her sister as well, as seven years ago, aside from saving both their lives from Prince Hans, Kristoff had just proposed to Anna. And Anna wanted to tell Elsa.

"Why are you so worried ?" Anna asked. "Its just us, not Hans or the Duke or any other dork trying to take us out and never come back." She said, Anna had a point, Kristoff nodded. After all, Elsa had saved his own life two months before as it was.

"I'm just worried about what might happen, after all you said it was bcause of you and Prince Hans were wanting to be married that Elsa took off. So I don't think if the two of us were to tie the knot, so to speak, that it'd be a good plan. If at all." Kirstoff said.

"Relax, I'll tell her." Anna said. She stepped up to the door as Elsa stepped out. She did however hear her sister speak; though Elsa did not look good, her eyes were oddly bloodshot red. It was a long time since that occurred.

"Tell me what ?" Elsa asked, her sister stoped dead in her tracks, like a deer in the lanterns so to speak, as Elsa zeroed in on her sister as she asked her question. But it was Kristoff that came to the rescue with his own question.

"Are you alright, Elsa ? Your eyes are a bit red. Is everything OK ?" It was clear that something had made Elsa cry, but Kristoff had no idea what it was. If at all for that matter.

"I'm fine, just, some stuff I didn't want to think about came up. I just needed some time to myself to sort through it." Elsa replied. It was in fact, the honest truth. Elsa was reminded by Brun of her parents; somehow, unless it was Tunis actions at the window that reminded Elsa of her mother, and of the legend when her mother told it to her as a child. Which was why she needed time alone.

Elsa had gone up to her mothers bedroom attic closet and found her mothers journal. Though it felt as if she were sneaking in a read, with her mother and father dead for seven years, it felt about right to read her mothers journal. She flickered through it a few pages until she came to the only entry concerning her powers. " _Our daughters are safe together, they love each other, I do not feel as if it is right to keep them apart. I do not want to see any pain brother to them. But Christophe says it is for the best. My love, my all, I too want the best for our girls. They love each other as sisters. Let them be together like they should be._ " Elsa had read the entire entry, it was a good six or seven pages long.

At the very end of it though she had found a line in her mothers writing and it was adressed to her directly. " _My dearest Elsa. If you are reading this, it means I have either given you the book to read, or you came by it after my death. I wanted to tell you it all, How it happened, my love for you and your father. Our love for you and your sister Anna. Our fears were unfounded, all that there is, is love. Remember; when your eyes see what your heart fears, remember only this one thing; LOVE WILL THAW. I love you Elsa. Please protect your sister. My love always. Your mother Idun._ " Elsa had placed the journal on her mothers throne chair.

Of course Elsa had sat in her room alone for six hours after reading that entry, as it was almost dinner time by then. She repeated her question "Tell me what ?" This time looking to Kristoff for answers. Thankfully Anna saved his skin at that moment with a rather surprising question.

"Can you bless our wedding ?" Anna asked, not exactly bluntly, but getting directly to the point in a cheerful, yet dignified manner.

Elsa at first was shocked, then confused, and then her face brightened into a smile. Grabbing Anna into a hug she said simply "Of course, but not just yet." She could tell that they had just proposed, even though they'd know each other for seven years. "There are still things to worry about as it is. I'll tell you what. I'll bless your wedding as Queen, but first I want us to reclaim Arendelle from the Templars, remember the jerk in the dining room that I spiked with my ice ?" Anna and Kristoff both nodded, how could they forget that Honkin' Dork ?

Elsa explained what she had learned from Matthew the night before and also from Blackmane about the various Templar Influence Towers across the kingdom. "The sooner we're rid of the Templars in our kingdom, the sooner you two can get married. It will give you time to plan it properly. After all, Can't be too careful. And besides. With our kingdom reclaimed from the Templars, we wont have to worry about them crashing the wedding!"

At first dispondent, but then overjoyed at her sisters words, Anna agreed almost instantly. Her sister was right, there were too many dangers around at that moment to worry of getting married right away. So Anna agreed to her sisters thought; mostly because Elsa was right, it was true that Anna and Kristoff were in love, Elsa saw it every day. And even though they were sisters, Elsa wanted only the very best for Anna, even if it meant she had to wait another year or more before she could get married. The threesome then did not speak of it for the rest of the day.

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Dining Room**

 **Evening**

Little before the seven o'clock hour did dinner finally be served. Well before it however did Snowfeather and Mark arrive at the Ice Rink Courtyard. Snowfeather marveled at the craftsmanship in the construction of the ice courtyard. The beauty of it all, the structure of it alone she marvelled that Elsa was able to make it just with pure thought. And the fact that every one in the kingdom acted as if it were normal.

Which in a sense for everyone living in the kingdom seeing Snowfeather and her technology, identity discs, energy blade of the same matrials, a car from nothing from code and light. All in all, it was quite interesting to see in motion. Or in use for that matter. But what Snowfeather was focused on at that moment was the ice, the sheer beauty of the glasslike surface, to the intricate detailing around all the doors and walls. Even the gates had beautiful ice sculptures embossed on them.

Mark just stood and stared at the door to the castle as Elsa stepped out, not in assassin robes this time, no, not for formal events for sure. Heck not even in her battle dress was the Queen that drop dead gorgeous. Dressed in a shade of bleached blue, to almost metallic bluish green, with a shining corset of almost glass greenish blue. Elsa was in her queenly garb for dinner that evening with new guests. Thankfully his hood covered his face and kept his staring eyes from being seen. A small scar on his left cheek however was just barely decernable as he had not brought along his mask at Snowfeathers insistence.

"Welcome to Arendelle." Elsa said stepping down a set of steps to the ice rink surface. "I trust you found what you sought ?" She said

Snowfeather nodded, "We did indeed your majesty." She said in reply.

"Please, call me Elsa, only people from other kingdoms call me majesty or highness. Between us its best off you not do that. Trust me it gets annoying very quickly." She had a hard time as it was trying to keep her own people from referring to her as highness or my queen, but it was habit that none could really break.

"Very well, whatever you wish we shall do." Snowfeather said, now formally introducing herself, "I am Snowfeather; this you know, I am Blackmanes elder twin sister. Even though we do not fully look alike, we are indeed sisters. This lug with me is Mark Wolfe, a second rank Assassin assigned to my den. When Blackmane summoned us to here to you mostly, he came with me." Snowfeather said, once again clouting Mark in the stomach to get his attention.

With his attention taken from the obviously way too hard to take his eyes from beauty before him, Mark turned briefly to Snowfeather before nodding and replying. "Yes, madam." It was hard for him to speak her name that first time, "A pleasure to meet you formally as it may seem." He was mostly in shock, and confusion of how one could be so brightly dressed and yet everyone else constantly forced to work or look elsewhere. "You will have to forgive me I am not too good with first names on a first meet basis."

"You'll have to forgive him. He's raised to respect those in power. That also means you." Snowfeather explained to Elsa's raised eyebrow. "and me" Snowfeather clouted Mark in the stomach again while saying to Elsa. "I'll explain later." To Mark she said in Arabic "Remove your hood when you speak to the Queen alright, try and remember that."

Mark did as instructed, his deep brown eyes shone off the ice on the rink. It was not every day when a man as handsome as he was present to the Queen. Elsa felt her heart briefly skip a beat befeore speaking "It is alright, but I insist, call me Elsa, unless in public when you feel you must refer to me as the queen, which I am." Elsa said, Mark nodded, he liked that idea

"I must admit, Elsa, that I think I can work with that." Speaking her name in private like they were now, with a few guards around he could do, but in public, even if she were as an assassin in training, he'd still refer to her as royalty, which there was no denying such thing.

Elsa smiled, she somehow liked how he pronounced her name. A very strong ls there, very strong. And yet, it sounded beautiful as well when he said it. "Good, so can I. Unless I am with Matthew in training, even then you refer to me as Elsa, not as queen or anything, after all Matthew pretty much drilled into me the fact that I am the Queen of Arendelle yes, but I am also an Assassin, and the truth of my being who I am must remain hidden when in training with Matthew. We clear ?"

Mark and Snowfeather both nodded, Snowfeather however had a bright smile on her face as she asked "With that out of the way, Elsa, how was it that you made this beautiful ice rink ? Only scant few do I know that have similar skill such as yours." She said, that was high praise indeed.

Elsa visibly blushed, "I just did it myself, even made the iceskates for some of the people, they set up the rest." She admitted only so much, she had also used her ice and snow to properly rebuild the castle good and proper as well. It needed the repairs since the Great Blizzard and the Great Thaw as everyone called it. The blizzard had damaged parts of the castle, and those parts where replaced with ice sheets so clear and presitine and never to melt. Elsa noticed as Mark bent down to inspect the ice surface, so amazingly smooth to the touch, cool as well, yet not freezing. "Walk with me a moment, both of you. Please." Elsa said at long last. She wanted their thoughts on something.

Gerda stood nearby, with a nod from Elsa, the head housemaid stepped forwards and handed the queen something, a book of some form. Thankfully Snowfeather coul read norse runes, which to the Assassins was one form of their writings, in fact they refered to the writing in norse as Angarthas Asassini. The three then walked from the ice rink courtyard up onto the paraphets and from there along the wall. Elsa spoke all the while.

"I found this eariler, and I want your honest thoughts." Her eyes looked at least up close, just slightly bloodshot. But she had moved on, or had she ? She handed Snowfeather the book, it was her mothers journal. She had it open to a page towards the point when the Templars first started to appear. "My mother wrote about the first incursions of the Templars, she wrote of them as men with swarthy looks and keen eyes, able to take down their targets without worry of retribution. According to what my mother wrote, the dagger was never thought of to send out for help. They overran my homeland." Elsa said.

Snowfeather read the entry, it was six pages long, all of it was about possible ways to get rid of the new men and women that soon flocked into the kingdom, they built towers, saying it'd help spread news and keep an eye on things. Christophe was against the towers as they marred the landscape around them. But the Templars insisted. Which much to Iduns dismay, allowed them to build more towers across the kingdom.

S _tores soon closed_ , Snowfeather read on, _Within each district the stores that managed to remain open were levied a havy tax by the district overseers. Long have they totured and took what was not theirs. Long have our streets filled with the dead, but no more, no, not when our daughters are ready to take over, I fear I will never see the day when our kingdom was as bright as it was when Elsa was born. Her first snowflake she made brightened our hearts._

Snowfeather closed the book with a thunk. "The Templars came against your fathers wishes, they were supplied by the south, and also those of the town of ... Weselton." Snowfeather handed the journal back. "Forgive me, but I cannot read any further, this is your mothers journal, It does not feel right to me to read it." She said

Elsa took back the journal "I understand your worry and yours thoughts Snowfeather, but my mother has been dead ten years, I am sure that she would not mind it if you read her thoughts concerning our unwanted guests. The Templars." Elsa said in reply.

"Be that as it may, Elsa, but no, I simply cannot read your mothers journal; it does not feel right for me to do so, honor her memory today, please. Do not make me read her journal. If you must want me to learn her thoughts of the Templars and the stain they had brought her to this beautiful kingdom, please, speak it to me from the book, but do not make me read it." Snowfeather was speaking partly of experience and mostly from fears. The last time she had read something not for her to read ended in disaster.

The three walked on. Elsa then asked after a long moment of quiet. "What do you suggest; aside from me learning from Matthew, and in a way, yourselves. I do to get rid of the Templars once and for all ?" She looked first to Snowfeather than to Mark, who, by then once more had his hood up, but his eyes were sadly focused to a certain part of Elsa's body, after all he was three paces behind her anyhow, it was hard not to look at that beautiful body in motion. Even just walkiing he could get distracted by this woman.

Mark suddenly found himself thinking _I hope she is not engaged_ Little did he know that he had just found his future. He was about to speak his mind, which at that moment was completely a mess but thankfully Snowfeather saved him a screwing up.

Snowfeather spoke up. "I suggest collecting resources, let Blackmane and Matthew rebuild what they have so far librated to get some money coming in, as money will also be needed to renovate newly librated zones to begin with. And also soldiers to be properly trained to patrol daily in each librated district as well. If you like I think Mark here can oversee their training."

"Or we could devide and coqure" Mark said, speaking his mind right then and there and earning himself a solid whack to the stomach, Snowfeather looks frail and thin, yet she packed one hell of a suckerpunch when one least expected it. She had caught him staring.

"Eyes on the prize boy." Snowfeather said in Arabic, a langauge that Elsa did not hope to understand if at all. Already Snowfeather was regretting saying those words.

"I thought my eyes were on the prize ?" He raised a hand before Snowfeather struck again "Oh you mean you, I see. Well, I said my mind carefully, I think we should devide and conqure" He made the mistake then of lowering his hands. Only to have Snowfeather easily slug him; Elsa stared, an eyebrow raised, Snowfeather moved faster than anything she had ever seen, Not even Matthew moved as fast as this woman.

From where he lay, flat on his back, Mark asked "Is it too hard to speak ones mind ?" Of course he still spoke Arabic, which Elsa needed a translator for. Snowfeather knelt down to him.

"As soon as you figure out who is in charge and where you stand, maybe I will consider that option. Until then, you're an Assassin, that comes first, you are to protect the Queen by any means, understood ?" Snowfeather said in Arabic. Mark nodded.

"Help me up will you ?" Mark held up a hand, Snowfeather effortlessly pulled him to his feet. To Elsa Mark said simply, "I think I will need to speak with Matthew on thoughts. From what I hear tell, the Arko district is the next one to the mainland. Am I correct ?" Elsa nodded, "Yes, I will talk to Matthew, we'll come up with something. In the mean time, you mind if I ask what is keeping dinner ?"

Ten minutes later and they were in the dining room, lead in there by Elsa; the long table housed nine chairs per side, and each space was taken by someone in the castle, Two of them were Brun and Tuni, who sat to Elsa's left, the others, Anna sat next to her sister, who sat at the head of the table, whereas Kristoff sat next to Anna, and Snowfeather and Mark sat beside Tuni and Brun. Both men seemed ready to travel as soon as they were done eating.

Snowfeather however enjoyed Tuni's company and actually understood his motions. Going so far as dancing with him on the ballroom dance floor. Thanfully, Mark found himself never asked to dance by anyone present. Unless it was a dance of a battle of some kind, then he'd easily take part. But a foxtrot ? No, he was more of a rhumba type of dancer.


	7. Seqeunce 2 Memory 4

_**The Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **IV**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Sequence 2**_

 ** _Memory 4: Infiltrating Weselton_**

 **12 July 2050**

 **Arendelle**

 **Roughwater District**

 **Dusk**

It was not long after dinner at the Castle when they formally met up with each other and for the most part got to know one another. Albiet enough insofar as to get names down on a first name basis. Mark however insisted that when in public unless otherwise told, he'd refer to the royalty as your highness or my queen, either one. Elsa agreed to not pressure the man. After all each had their own habits.

Kristoff went off on his own after dinner, saying he needed to think on something carefully, Mark went with him however at Annas insistence to at least observe and make sure he'd be OK, with the templars around Mark did not blame Anna for her worry. And he promised the Princess in private that 'd keep out of sight and make sure that Kristoff never came to harm.

It was easier said than done. As he moved through the various crowds within Arendell's Arko district he saw clearly the many Templar groups patrolling constantly. He knew that taking Arko would be a pain in the butt, but it was on his agenda. But when he'd strike he did not yet know. Mark made a mental note to speak with Matthew on when to strike at the Arko District to retake it

Mark followed Kristoff into the Roughwater District, as they crossed into the district the rain began to fall, first a light sprinkle, but he felt in his bones the coming of rain, and the lack of birds. He saw the Templars everywhere as Kristoff headed into a Inn, the Roughwater Inn, aptly named, Mark mused.

He ducked into the inn a few seconds after Kristoff did, and he was glad he had done so. Kristoff went to a table and sat down, he was trying to figure out what to get his future wife for their engagement. Kristoff was seated at table, alone, his back to a roaring fireplace. Even if the heat of summer the inns had fires going at all times. In this case however, one of them seemed a bit well off. Mark stood in the shadows, hood drawn, watching everything.

He was glad he did, Kristoff ordered an ale and some bread, Mark noticed he poked at the bread but drank like a fish, he held his liquer well however. Mark saw two other men, surmising them both to be Templars, he watched as one of them stood, then saw the other across the way stand and start towards Kristoff. Mark smirked, it was time to make himself known to Kristoff. And hope that Kristoff knew how to fistfight when drunk.

Moving forwards as Kristoff noticed out of the corner of his eye the two men coming for him from opposing directions. He set his drink down, he had no weapons on him save for a few carrots in his pocket. Things were not looking good, Kristoff was thinking of making a break for it when Mark sat across from him, as a inn girl went by Mark said "I'll have the same please." He said to the girl. Who nodded and left to get the required order.

Mark turned to Kristoff, "I am glad I found you here, Something was on your mind all during dinner. And trust me I can read faces and expressions like a book, what's bugging you. Come on, you can talk to me." Mark told Kristoff.

For a long moment Kristoff said nothing before saying, finally, "I'm engaged to a verey lovely woman. The love of my life. You met her at dinner. But I find myself at a empasse. I do not know what to get her for a engagement gift." Krsitoff was indeed lost on what to get. What did Anna like ? Well, from what Mark heard told; Anna was something akin to a spry fighter; mostly.

So a new sword was out of the question. So Mark said "What do you think Anna would like best from you ?"

"I've practically given her everything, however, there are some things I need to figure out. What she likes, over what she wants." Kristoff said, he took a sip of his ale as the inn girl brought Marks drink and bread out. Soon as the waitperson left Kristoff went on. "It was during dinner when I really got thinking about it, I might ask Pabbie though, see what he thinks." That got Marks attention, who was Pabbie, sounded like some elder wise beyond years. Kristoff continued "Anna rescued her sister seven years ago. I nearly lost her myself. But it was that act of true love, the love between sisters that they share. That was what thawed her frozen heart"

Mark was thoughtful for but a moment, finally he said "What of Assassin gear ? Surely you have blacksmiths in the kingdom ?" At Kristoffs nod, Mark smiled "Then it is settled, make her something. Make something that you pour your blood sweat and tears into the craftsmanship of the item you make. That way when you present the item to Anna, she'll know the hard work and love that went into it." What stunned Mark was that he never did such a thing himself, but he'd heard the advice from another man when in training, a young fellow looking to impress a girl, and he'd asked a friend, at the same time Mark stood nearby, what to do. Of course Mark at the time was still an Assassin in training. Still merely a Recruit at the time.

"I think I will do that" Kristoff said, he noticed the two men joined by more. "Though before I do I have just one question."

"Yeah ? Speak it." Mark replied.

"Did you notice that pretty much everyone is staring at us right now." Kristoff said. Mark smiled, since he had his back to everyone else in the inn as he faced Kristoff

"I figured as much, how many you count ?" Mark asked.

"Six, maybe more outside." Kristoff said, "is there a bounty on your head ?"

"Not that I recall, though I do recall kicking some Templar ass back in Alexandria to the south." Mark replied, "They might be still sore about that." And they were as one man reached down and hauled Mark to his feet.

"Look here boys! A lost bird! A lost bird that never learned to fly!" The templar snarled in Marks face.

Mark waved a hand "Jaysus harveyo shamban!" Mark grumbled, waving away the stink of the mans breath "You ever try fresh mint toothpaste over rotting guts ?" Kristoff siezed his chance and struck fast at the Templar closest to him. Sending the man sprawling just a bit too close to the fireplace before holding up his ale to Mark in a toast as Mark held up his "Cheers!" Both men promtply downed their ales and slammed the mugs on their would be agressors, sending the two men to the floor in heaps.

"Lets party!" Mark shouted out as two Templars jumped for him, he easily side stepped and threw one dead into the wall with a crash. Mark started whistling a merry tune as Kristoff ducked for cover as another Templar went sailing over him; He found another man, an older fellow, by name of Jenkins, cheering on the younger men as they fought. Kristoff thought the elder man off his rocker, but he recognised the man as a former Ice Harvester.

It was six against one as Mark siezed up the fight within the Roughwater Inn. With two down already, the last six charged at him, first one, then another, with his distracted, or so the Templars thought, a strike landed solid, sending Mark sialing into another Templars arms, the two traded blows before Mark ducked at the very last second allowing the templar to slug his own fellow dead in the face at the same time Mark tripped him up.

Putting a finger to his lips he blew a shrill sounding whistle, Within seconds the fluttering of birds was heard as screams outside were loud and clear as someone else joined the party outside.

Outside the Roughwater Inn three women stood watching and waiting, Snowfeather had a fan in her hands to sheild from the rainfall. Whereas Anna had an Assassin cloak on to cover herself from the rainfall, and also Elsa, dressed normal for that time of day, was once again barefoot. Her sword of ice in one hand. Ready for use. Elsa did not care of the rain as by time it reached her it turned to snowflakes or shards of harmless ice.

"Are you sure you are going to need that ?" Snowfeather said softly as the three moved quickly towards the inn, taking side streets and paths between houses and shops longsince closed up and moved out.

"Matthew said I am to start learning to use it, I did not make this just for beauty; but for practial use." Of course it had no sheath, the sword she made was designed for one thing and one thing only, dealing out ice cold death. "Sure I killed Illitan with it, but that so far, was the only person I slew with this blade, if I am to be an Assassin and the Queen, then I have to use my sword."

"Fine, but we'll wait until we're needed, Anna... Anna!" Snowfeather turned to speak to Anna, who had snuck off to get a better look. There were six dozen men outside the Inn, all of them had markings of the enemy on them all somewhere. Snowfeather and Elsa scampered up in the rain and managed to get under a tarp of sorts and overheard the conversation.

"From the sounds of things it seems our party started, should we go in and end it before the Guard get here ?" Said one of the many gathered in front of the inn.

"Nah, let them fight it out, and when they're done inside and come out, then we'll take thm on, by that time they'll be tired, and easy marks." Said another

"That is what you said the first time, and look what happened to Marcus! Its bad enough Grand Master Duke said to do this job. We failed the last two, this is the next step." Said another

"Shut it all of you. We're to take the two inside alive, not dead. What got into your minds that we wanted them dead ? We want them alive for questioning, then we kill them!" Said a fourth. Apparenty in charge of things. None of them were aware of what was coming their way as a shrill whistle was heard followed by the flapping of many wings. Within minutes what had been men ready to take on Mark as he exited the Inn, was a frantic frenzy of brightly colored birds swarming the two dozen men outside the Inn waiting to ambush Mark

Snowfeather smiled, "Allow me" She said as a man stumbled out of the group to their hiding place, Reaching out quickly she grabbed the man by the collar and hauled him into their hiding place, a hand on the mans mouth. "scream and the Queen will slit your throat. Now, tell us exactly the plan. Now" The man did so. Snowfeather then turned to Elsa, "Well, What now ?" was written all over her face. Elsa reached out her hand and shot the man with ice. That was that. The man dropped like a rock on the ground, frozen solid. Another Templar log cut down. So to speak.

"Come on" Elsa said, by then the birds had distracted as much as needed, coausing the men to flee the area because of the birds. The three women darted from their hiding place up the steps to the Inn entry. Uupon entering they found Kristoff and Mark cleaning up a fallen table, setting chairs upright as well. As she stepped into the common area of the Inn as Frela and a few Guards showed up, Elsa asked. "What happened in here ?"

"Be happy my Ladies, that I follow orders, not exactly to the letter, but I follow orders." At Elsas confused look Mark explained "Anna told me to follow Krsitoff to make sure he'd be safe." Anna confirmed that she explained to the others where Mark had gone, Snowfeather nodded.

Taking a brief look around, Snowfeather asked simply "Tell me something here. Are you done remodeling ?" she asked to Mark, who nodded, "Good, we take our leave then, Its been a rough morning and day for all of us I am sure, and we could all use a good nights rest." With that Snowfeather turned to Elsa, with a slight bow she said "Elsa, if you not mind it any I'd like to sleep in the watchtower room of the castle gates, just to make sure no unwanted guests show up." Elsa agreed and gave over a ice made key to get into the castle gardgate room.

Mark turned to the sisters, with a curt bow he aid simply "I do as told do I not ?" Kristoff was thankfully unharmed. Seeing her betrothed safe Anna nodded and gave a quick peck on Marks cheek before thanking him and helping Kristoff return to his place at the castle. That left Mark and Elsa. And Mark just felt his world drop away as he turned to the Queen. What to say, what to do to not look a fool Mark thought.

Thankfully Elsa saved him from looking like a fool or even sounding like one when she asked him "you mind walking me home ?" She had dismissed her sword outside. Feeling it not needed while in the Inn for that time. "It is not far, or are you worried of something ?"

Mark smiled, giving his arm to the Queen he said simply "It would be an honor, my Queen, to escort you home in safety." With that he opened the door for them to exit the Inn while speaking to the keeper "Sorry about the mess." He tossed over a coin or six of platinum. It was enough to outright rebuild the Inn. Mark then escorted Elsa back to the Castle. He asked her only one question, where the library was located. Elsa said she'd guide him there since he was a gentleman. He accepted that.

When elsa left him in the library of the Castle to go to sleep, Mark remained at a desk long into the night, reading up about trolls and magic, and feeling his heart hammer loudly at the mere thought of touching the queen.

 **13 July 2050**

 **Arendelle Assassin Headquarters**

 **dawn**

Snowfeather stood in the doorframe of her twins room. "You are sure you want to do this ?" She asked Blackmane in Siamese, their native langauge. "The duke is not expecting you, but me. You know this. I was his prisoner in the past." It had been a crazy night, Arko Distrct was set to be librated that evening, hopefully the plan Mark came up with would work.

"But you wont be again, remember, it is Elsa he is really after, I do not trust his motives. Nor do I trust Prince Hans either." Blackmane said, she was using spells and elemental codecs to change clothing to match her twin sister, Finally getting the desired items she needed she turned to Snowfeather, "How do I look ?"

"Like I'm staring at a slightly shorter version of myself aside from the voice you're a dead match." Snowfeather replied, it spooked her sometimes when they did it, but it worked better than most times that they had to do it.

Blackmane smirked ."That's a given, now, you know what to do when I get on the ship ?" Blackmane had on Snowfeathers normal black robes and brilliant white hair. Though not exactly built like her twin, Blackmane looked the part perfectly. Just a mite heavier

Snowfeather sighed and snapped a clawed finger, within a heartbeat Snowfeather and Blackmane had changed into each other. There was no differences between them, hair color, eye color, everything was a perfect match up! Even Elsa herself wouldn't know the difference. That was true in the fact that the plan was for Blackmane to go as Snowfeather to the Duke of Weselton as a prisoner. The Duke would be none the wiser.

Snowfeather, as Blackmane, asked... herself, "You are still sure you want to do this ?" Snowfeather herself was not so sure, and yet she wanted to be sure before sending her sister out on a wild goose chase.

"I am" It felt weird, Snowfeather felt strange acting like her sister, and her sister likewise acted the same way. But they had done it many times in the past, and they therefore treated it in that manner. One of their old tricks put to the test again. Thank goodness the people of Arendelle only one or two were Jellicles, and as far as Snowfeather could see, one was possibly a Pharo breed Pollicle. But it could have been a poster.

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Midmorning**

Breakfast was served promptly at nine am each morning within the castle and Marketplace district. That was where the twins found Anna as they made their way through the marketplace, they had sent word the night before to the duke by pigeon and were awaiting return notice at the time. Snowfeather, acting as Blackmane, saw Anna as the Princess exited the castle Ice Rink gates and headed into the marketplace district. Nudging her sister, who was packing up as Snowfeather, she pointed out Anna and the interestingly thoughtful, almost lost look upon the Princess' face. "Let us see what happened." 'Blackmane' said, 'Snowfeather' agreed.

As Anna neared them 'Snowfeather' called out to her. "Anna, what is wrong ? You look distressed about something, or lost in thought, either one."

Looking to the two Anna took in who spoke first, turning to Blackmane, who in fact was really Snowfeather, she explained. "I had a weird dream last night, I was trying to figure it out, Elsa wasn't any help at all since she's still asleep. Do you guys have anything written down concerning a ball, about so big" Anna made motions with her hands, holding them apart to show the size of something round. "It had glowy lines on it, made a weird humming noise of some form."

The twins traded looks, "I know of it. Come with me." 'Blackmane' said, 'Snowfeather' smiled at her sister, with a nod 'Blackmane' reached a hand up

"It is alright," said Blackmane in the guise of her sister, "I have to go anyway to finish packing and be ready to get on ship out. Good luck to you Princess. It was an honor to see you this morning" With that Blackmane, as Snowfeather, turned on her heel and disappeared into the crowds.

The real Snowfeather lead Anna back to the Assassin headquarters and helped the Princess to the rooftop hatch before letting down a ladder for the princess to climb down. "What you spoke about at the marketplace I'm familiar with only so much. I think our library has information on it." With that, Snowfeather moved to some bookshelves. Finding what she sought she held it up. "Ancient Items File." She said.

She moved to the desk and opened the book atop it, letting Anna shift through the various hand drawn images until coming to what she sought. "There, that isn't I'd know it anywhere if I saw it in person. That's what I saw in my dream." The Piece of Eden, as Snowfeather knew them as, was no larger than a regulation softball. Maybe denser. It did not matter.

Taking a closer look at it Snowfeather nodded, "I have seen one like this before, my lover carries one on him at all times. It has... interesting powers." Snowfeather said, her lover, the man in question she meant was actually Mentor Grayhame. The Assassin Brotherhood Mentor, based in London, to the south, a good week away in fact.

"Powers ? Like what ?" Anna asked.

"For one thing it can control others minds, the person that holds the device has control over others. Or can convince others he or she is not there. Other times it gives glances of the future, past, maybe even deeper if one looked into it too much. But only certain people can handle the device. Its powerful and many have tried to use them, only to die or be... simply forgotten. Or driven mad." Snowfeather explained.

"Though" She snickered then "one of the more fun things one can do with the device is make more of themselves to distract others around them, and in a manner, even the fight they find themselves in." Snowfeather turned from the book towards the desk. "But I wonder, why are you wondering of this device ?"

"I dreamed about it" Anna said in reply "About two months ago a man broke into the castle and tried to attack us, he threatened Kristoff, and even somehow evaded our archers bolts before Elsa spiked him in the lungs against the dining room wall." Anna then explained the items the man wore, pointing out the cross on the gold ring that Blackmane had identified easily.

"That explains much, but now how the crossbowmen where unable to make their mark." Snowfeather said as Anna once more leafed through the pages of the book and stopped at something that looked like a ring

Tapping the image Anna said "This, Elsa picked this item up off the floor shortly after the body was cleared from the dining room. She had the guys clothing and gear kept though. I do not know what she did with this thing. Its small, looks like a ring, but. I do not know of what good it would be for one to try to use. He had it on a chain. Not on his fingers or anything, the guy was young looking too, but also experienced as he was never seen by anyone until he tried to threaten us."

"Its possible that his device on the chain helped with that." Snowfeather pointed out some notes, written over in both Siamese and Norse with translations. "Apparently the finger device as it was noted as can grant invisiblity, known as a cloak, or extra armor, thus making it inpossible to harm the man by fired items, in this case a crossbow bolt or two. Maybe even a musket ball. It also might be what triggered your dream."

Snowfeather then saw something on the desk, her pack, she still had yet to unpack! Why was it glowing ? Snowfeather went over to the pack and opened it, "Munku you sly devil." She said softly reaching into the pack she removed a Piece of Eden, but not the one that Anna had dreamed about. Anna raised an eyebrow as Snowfeather seemed to go over the surface of the bronze item. The markings were similary glowy like the one she had dreamed about. But actually seeing it in person.

"Alright" Snowfeather said after a long moment, A map sprang out of the device, showing the world. "Let us find out just why you dreamed that dream." She found Arendelle "Here is us. Marked with a star, this designates a point of origin. In this case, Arendelle is marked with a star. Where we start from." She shifted the map briefly, zooming in on the area. "There is two more, one of them in the castle." There was a complete layout of the Kingdom and main city itself where fifty eight districts were located. A dot blinked in the castle area.

"There" Anna pointed at another blinking dot. Snowfeather moved the map to recofus on the area. Both of them recognised it. "Isn't that..." Anna started to ask before Snowfeather spoke up.

"Blackrock Haven" Snowfeather hissed softly. She had been there twice, the Wolf Queen had nearly overran the place the second time, and the first time the Templars had tried to take the area as a base. Since the Wolf Queen was destroyed within the temple itself. That made a bit more sense to use it as a hunting camp. The ice harvestors knew of it and had camped there before.

"Something wrong ?" Anna asked.

"I should have known," Snowfeather grumbled, turning to Anna she asked "How old are you ?" After seven years Elsa was twenty eight, with Anna three years younger at twenty five.

"uh... twenty five, why ?" Anna replied.

"Great, now its active. I cannot leave the city due to the rebuilding I am to oversee." Snowfeather, in her guise as Blackmane replied, "Blackrock Haven is a half day away by ship, two days by land. I cannot leave the city; and I've no recruits to send to recover the device."

"I could go, just give me the info of what to look for and need before going and I'll let Elsa know about it before hand. I'll even take Kristoff with me. We'll be back before dinnerr tomorrow if we leave at midafternoon and search upon arrival." Anna said, her mind made up, she wanted to see this through.

Snowfeater smiled softly, "I highly doubt that your sister will let you even leave." She said.

"So ? I wont tell her I'm leaving. I can at least tell her I dreamed about it and spoke with you to help me figure it out. I wont even mention I left. Well, I might mention it to Matthew, he'll have to cover for us and Sven, Mostly because we don't want Olaf to come along. But seperating him and Sven might not be a good idea. Unless we do it with good reason." Anna said, already the gears of planning were turning in her head.

Finally after a long moment Snowfeather, as her sister Blackmane, nodded, "Very well, I'll give you the contract, but do not say I did not warn you, take some weapona along and charter a ship. Do it in secret. Mention my name and you should be well on your way before Elsa figures out your deception."

"I hate having to lie to my sister, but its for the best, better we get this thing instead of those dorks that wanted to harm my feiance." Anna said, she gave 'Blackmane' a hug, "Thanks I knew I could trust you!" She then took off out of the headquarters. Snowfeather was thankful that the Princess did not ask about the hidden blades on the counter top.

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Elsa's bedroom**

 **Noon**

"No. Whatever you are about to ask before I am even awake enough to think, I'm just going to say no" Elsa said as she all but fell out of bed. The day and night before had taken a toll on her. She was safe, she knew, the night before when Mark, the new guy in town with Snowfeather, had escorted her back to the Castle. The night was a total rush, and Elsa barely got any sleep at all, her mind was on that weird fight an what the Templar told her and Snowfeather, she was unhappy that Anna was there though. But it was not helped, as Anna was more helpful by sending Mark after Kristoff.

Anna faked a pout before saying. "I was not going to ask if you wanted to build a snowman, but I wanted to tell you something important." There was an impish look to her eyes as she spoke.

Elsa was barely awake as it was as she stumbled over to a wardrobe desk and looked in the mirror, oy she was a mess. She hadn't even bothered to change the night before and just zonked out in bed in her normal clothing. "OK, spill it then." Elsa said as she grabbed a hairbrush and ran it through her hair a few times before giving up and letting the ice have its way for once.

Anna walked around her sisters bedroom, "I had a weird dream last night. I spoke with Blackmane about it" she explained. "Remember that dork that tried to kill Kristoff ?" at her sisters nod, Anna continued "Well, that thing he had on a chain. Blackmane had abook of hand drawn images made ages ago, maybe back when she was first here all those years ago when Great grandma Marissa was Queen ? Anyway. The item was in there. It might be what triggered my dream" Anna then detailed her dream for her sister and finding of the image of the device in the same book.

"Ok ? So ?" Elsa said as she stepped behind the dressing screen. Her voice heard as she was behind the thing. Slipping out of her nightgown and into her battledress was easy. And quietly done. "What about this device ? Why did you dream about it ?"

"I don't know, it had glowy lines on it and Blackmane said she'd seen one before, her lover carries one on him, it gives the guy holding or using it unique... abilites I should call them I guess." Anna said, she detailed exactly as Snowfeather, in the guise of Blackmane, had told her of what the device could do. And that the nearest possible location of one such device was at Blackrock Haven. A halfday boatride from Arendelle. Pretty much around the Point to the southwest!

"No" Elsa said, stepping out from behind the dressing screen. "I am not going to let you go off on something because you saw it in a ream." Elsa said, she was moving her sleeves into proper angles as one of them was twisted around her arm and elbow. Once it was lose enough she shot it through with some ice to make it lighter. Then it felt right.

Anna smiled seeing her sister using her ice to make clothing. "I can never get over how you make your clothing so beautiful just by using ice. Might be why that new guy was staring. I am pretty sure he was focused on you. Or at least, a part of you." Anna said.

Elsa raised an eyebrow and glared at her sister "You mean Mark ? He's a gentleman. He escorted me home last night, you saw how he acted." She said, coming to the defense of a man she had just barely met the day before who had also escorted her back home to the castle without worry, was rather interesting to say in the least. "He even kept his hands to himself."

"Yeah, with you on one of those arms I'm actually kind of surprised he did not try anything stupid." Anna said, Elsa conjured up a snowball and chucked the powdery thing at her sister. "Hey!" Anna replied ducking out of the way of another one "Don't shoot! We're on the same side!" She said in a joking tone. She'd gotten her sister focused off of her and Kristoff going off to Blackrock, perfect!

Elsa laughed "Is that all you wanted to tell me ? You had a weird dream, spoke with Blackmane, and now she's off going to find what you dreamed about ?" Elsa had it mostly right, well, almost none of it actually. As Anna did speak with Blackmane, though in this case, Snowfeather, but neither of them knew that Snowfeather remained and Blackmane had just left for Weselton.

"Mhm, well, mostly, I forgot to mention that Snowfeather left for Weasltown. She said something of an old date she had to finish with the Duke. Also don't worry, its not like I'm going to go myself. Even if I was, its only a half day away. I could be back before dinnerr. Or maybe you could" Anna replied.

"No, I can't leave, I'm the queen, remember ?" Elsa said, "I can't just up and go, if I even try Prince Hans or the Duke might try something. Well, unless Snowfeather proves to be distracting enough." Elsa then fell into thoughts, perhaps she should go and find that thing her sister dreamed about ?

Anna pointed to the door then. "Can I go now ?" Anna had plans, as did Elsa. Elsa just waved her sister off. She needed to find Matthew.

Anna darted out of her sisters room and went in search of Matthew, finding the man at the Castle Ice Rink Courtyard on his own with one of the most beautiful swords Anna had ever seen.

When Matthew saw her he slowly ended his dance that Anna observed, so fluid were his movements. It was like a dance of the most beautiful deadly things that Anna had ever seen. Matthew even caused it to snow around him, but his movements with his sword kept the area within the reach of his sword free of any snowfall on the ground.

Finally the very deadly, yet elegant and beautiful dance came to an end, Matthew turned and bowed to Anna, "Afternoon Princess, Is there something troubling you ?" He asked her

Anna shook her head and explained to him what she plained, "Can you cover for Kristoff and I to Elsa ? Its important I find this thing." she detailed where she had Blackmane had found another Piece.

For a long a moment Matthew said nothing, finally he nodded "Yes, I will inform Elsa that you went back to Roughwater Inn to help with the cleanup there. don't worry its taken care of. Mark was able to pay for any damages made to the innkeeper last night. If it were not for you, Kristoff would have been captured and you going after him alone."

"But you'll also have to inform Olaf that we had to take Sven with us. We need his help too. But Olaf can't come because of his connection to Elsa and I, he'd stand out like an albino and a clan meet." she said.

Matthew nodded "Get going then Princess, you haven't much time considering the ice is getting cleaner, I suggest the Docks and not the Port to make your... getaway. Good luck, return in one piece or your sister will have my neck." Anna smiled and took off. With a brief stop at the Castle Armory she darted out of sight before Elsa made it to Matthew.

By the time Matthew had delayed Elsa long enough, Anna and Kristoff along with Sven were well on their way as the ship pulled out.

At Matthews insistence, mostly because Elsa also carried her mothers journal, he spoke of the device as Anna mentioned it to him, he wondered why she dreamed about it, and why he never knew of such a device when he was there teaching Elsa before the ill fated trip. Elsa then opened the journal and started reading aloud to Matthew of what her mother had written about the device and where she had hid one of the two that they possessed. " _I hid the device at Christophe's insisting. I chose a good location, it actives only to his or my touch, or to the touch of our children. I had always hoped to find the reason behind Elsa's gifts through use of the device, and yet none were forthcoming. Everything I tried to search for came up blank. Perhaps she would have better luck. Never the less I hid the device. Only our children will find it. I hid it in..._ " "Blackrock Haven" Elsa breathed aloud, looking to Matthew, Anna had mentioned finding the device was located at Blackrock.

"That is funny" Matthew said to Elsa, who looked at him confused, "Anna said something about Kristoff going to Blackrock Haven to harvest ice on the north shore."

"What ?!" Anna had lied ? Why ? Elsa stared at Matthew "Where did she go ? When did she go ?" She asked. Rather than let Matthew reply Elsa thrust her mothers journal into his arms and took off for the docks. Skating on the ice she created to get to the docks quicker. Leaving a briefly startled Matthew in her wake. Well, he mused, he had delayed her long enough to let Anna and Kristoff get to Blackrock. By now their ship had left

 **Arendelle Docks**

 **Main Peir**

 **A few minutes later**

Elsa all but ran to the end of the peir. The ship was just leaving the harbor as she halted at the edge of the dock. "Elsa, wait!" Matthew called after her as she came to a stop, he ran up beside her. "Its too late."

"I have to go after them." Elsa said, her mind already made up. She'd find a ship, and a crew for it, and go after her sister. Whatever Anna was planning was crazy.

"No" Matthew replied sternly. Putting a fast end to his students trail of thought.

"You are really saying say 'no' to your queen ?" Elsa gave Matthew a death glare that could rot out swiss cheese.

"I am saying no to my student." Matthew replied Elsa just rolled her eyes and watched as the ship soon faded from sight. "For good reason, we both love Anna, and we both trust her, Besides, she's with Kristoff and Sven, she'll be safe. I trust them. You should to."

"Why didn't you go with them ?" Elsa asked, glancing towards Matthew.

"They didn't want me to." Matthew replied, looking at her. Elsa had turned her gaze back to the rapidly disappearing ship. "Anna said I'd be more useful here."

"For what ?" Elsa asked softly.

"Anna and Kristoff didn't want you to be alone. they'll be back soon." Elsa looked to Matthew, a sad look in her eyes.

"They did not have to do this." Elsa said to him. Her fists clinched at her sides, ice forming on them.

"Of course they didn't. But you told Anna, and you're right, you're the Queen and you can't leave, at least, not yet anyway. But you're also my student as well, you've yet to master your powers and from what I have seen, you've yet to show any progress of what I've once taught you. If you go after them, Prince Hans or even the Duke will try to nail you down or take you out, you heard what Brun said of what his brother found out."

Elsa could only nod at the memory, Brun and Tuni, Hans elder brothers and the only two of the 13 brothers who prefered the Assassins over the Templars had risked their lives to inform and warn her of their brothers plans and also of the impending visit from the CIA

"But Snowfeather went to Weasltown, she'd distract the Duke long enough for me to go, catch up with Anna and come back." Elsa pointed out what Anna had told an hour or so before.

Matthew nodded in agreement, "True, Snowfeather did have a date with the duke last I heard it did not go over so well and she had to leave rather quickly."

"Besides" Matthew continued "Mark is still here, he's doing contracts for Blackmane, he said something of wanting to ask you about something in private, but never said what was on his mind when I asked him if something troubled him. Oh, and your sword training starts... tonight. Meet me at the ice rink when you're ready." With that Matthew turned on his heel and left Elsa at the end of the peir.

Elsa remained at the peir as the ship sailed away, disappearing into the horizon within moments. Moments longer she remained at the peir before turning and going, slowly, back towards the castle. Lost in thoughts, and memories, and fears.

 **Blackrock Haven**

 **Dusk**

"Wait for us here, we should be back before full dark, if we're lucky, we'll be halfway back to Arendelle by dawn, and back in time for dinner" Kristoff said to the helmsman of the ship they had chartered, Blackrock Haven was an ancient temple and burial ground of some form.

Using a torch that Kristoff lit, Anna lead the way to a construct within the ruins, they saw therecently made fires of hunters that pass through every spring, so the place had been in use before as a campsite. Moving through the area they found several black pillars of strange black rock they had never seen before. Smooth to the touch yet somewhat magical as they walked past.

Anna traced a hand along the surface of one of the black pillars, as she did so glowy lines of pale gold shimmered into view. This was most interesting. Strange lines, similar to the device Blackmane used at the headquarters earlier that day. "Krsitoff look!" Anna said excitedly as they found a door frame. The door was wide open.

"Well, looks like we found what we came for, Here, hold this I'll light another." Kirstoff handed off his torch to Anna and lit a second one, the two then ducked into the door of the strange temple. Ancient in construction Blackrock Temple was renamed Blackrock Haven after a fight there had librated Arendelle generations ago. Blackrock was the site of many deaths. And it was told at times that the dead still walked the ancient temple grounds. But Anna and Kristoff never saw anything undead... yet.

Stepping into the temple was another story as the two went past all sorts of designs on the walls. Pillars stood at even spaces. And a long bridge of sorts went in one direction. Which was their goal in a manner of speaking. Anna peeked over the edge to the waters below. Far below. Kristoff kicked a rock into the darkness below them, it was a good ten or so seconds before they heard the rock hit the water. "long way down." Kristoff said.

"I agree. Come on, look, that pedistal, that might be it." Anna hadn't exactly dreamed of finding the device on a pedistal, but seeing it in the temple, no dead men around. It glowed faintly. Anna handed her torch to Kristoff and withdrew a leather bag. Reaching up to the device time froze around them as the device activated. Golden lines speared from it all around the place. Caging them in. Brief visions of the future sprang out of the device until Anna touched it, it recognised the touch, Queen Idun had placed it there. And either Anna or Elsa could handle it.

The device deactivated upon Anna's touch, but a voice rang out. "Welcome back your Highness, I have waited for you as instructed. Please, instruct me of your needs." Apparently the otherworldly voice was heard only by Anna at that instant.

A few seconds later and Anna was able to come out of the trance, then she and Kristoff hopped onto Svens back as the deer took off qucikly. Anna sensed danger to come. It was time to return home. She wanted Elsa to see what she had found, and what it meant for Arendelle, and why her mother hid the thing there in the first place.

Anna had informed Matthew they'd be home in time for dinner the next day, and Matthew in turn informed Elsa that night not to worry for her sister, they'd be back in time for dinner the next day. Elsa hoped he was right.

And he was, just before the dinner bell rang across the kingdom, Anna and Kristoff stepped into the ice rink courtyard. Anna carried a brown leather bag, inside it was the device she had dreamed about. Of course Anna had to explain exactly why she had lied to her sister, but then when she explained the strange voice, it confused Elsa. Elsa had shown the journal entry to her sister.

Thankful that her sister was once more safe and back home, Elsa went to sleep. The next few weeks she knew, were going to be intense, if that evenings sword training was as intense as it was to be, then Elsa knew in her heart, the next few weeks to a month were to be hell for sure.

With that thought, Elsa stared at the ice on her ceiling before finally falling into a deep sleep.

 **MEMORY SYNC COMPLETE; SEQEUNCE 2 COMPLETED**


	8. Seqeunce 3 Memory 1

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Sequence 3**_

 _ **Memory 1: Weselton Templar vs Cairo Assassini**_

 **12 May 2051**

 **Duke of Weselton Manor**

 **Dawn**

It had been a good year. No, a wonderful year. The Duke was happy, his prize was safely stored and carefully watched. Snowfeather Elisar, the hauntingly beautiful yet deadly woman that had been ensnared by his plan the first time all those years ago, before Arendelle, before the trade was ended. Yes, now he had barter. But after a year, with no reply, nothing coming hence from Arendelle, he was starting to lose hope. But then he remembered, sneding by pigeon was not exactly easy, because sometimes the messeges were overlooked.

So he had his men carefully go over the messeges at the pigeon coops across Weselton. The rooftops as gardens all had coops built for the people to use to send letters to others. At least the coops that were marked offical use only were used by the Duke and his many thugs. The Templars in the area were stronger than ever. And it was only a matter of time the Duke knew, that they'd have Arendelle surrounded, and soon, a memory long forgotten.

Soon.

A knock came to the door. "Enter." The Duke said, he sat at his desk, the massive dark oak construct was actually to his back as he stared out the window, a coin in hand playing across his boney fingers. "What is it Ivan ? What news do you bring me today ? Has our... guest spoken since her arrival ?"

"Uh no." The Duke had always asked Ivan if Snowfeather, his prize in his cells down below had spoke a word since arrival, which to that day, she had not. "Our guest has not said a word since arrival last year" said Ivan.

"Wonderful, here we keep her well fed, kept under guard of course. Along with a few other things for her to pass the time and yet she does not speak a word." the Duke grumbled. Ivan endured this rant daily when coming to him with reports. "And let me guess, there is nothing from Arendelle concerning our... guest ?"

"No sir, nothing, every pigeon coop in the city for offical uses has been carefully checked, each bird has been checked for messeges, nothing has been sent." Ivan replied.

"Damnit! This is unacceptable!" The Duke shouted out, flicking the coin away and jumping to his feet from the chair. He started pacing "One year ago our guest came to us by ship, no notice aside from a pigeon, a bird sent to us ahead of time. And here we are, unanswered by any offers we have given."

"If I may be so bold to speak sir ?" Ivan said, when given the nod Ivan continued "Perhaps it is because of the proclaimation made by the Queen of Arendelle. Her words exactly was that they wouild hence forth and no longer do any business with us. Perhaps that is why our offers have gone unanswered ?"

The Duke stopped his pacing for but a moment before smiling "That is a strong possibility Ivan I had not thought of that. But tell me something, why suggest this to me now ? A year after we have taken in our guest ?"

"Well sir, it was the first chance I believe I was able to get to speak my mind freely." Ivan replied, being the Dukes Gentleman was both rewarding and not so much. Thankfully, the Duke relied on Ivan for information. Ivan was also one of the two that went after the queen in her ice palace, In fact he was almost sent out the window into the gorge below. "After all, you sent me and Henry to take down the queen."

"Yes, and we can see how well that went, she shot your weapon from your grasp, and nearly sent you to your death meters below her castle! Small wonder that Henry was able to knock her out with falling ice." The Duke replied. He tapped a fist on the desk. "Is this all Ivan you seem worried about something ?"

"Prince Hans has arrived with his brothers Walter and Henrik, he waits outside in the drawing room." Ivan replied. He also set the mail on the table, which was mostly bills, law writeups, and execution orders.

"Good, send them in as you leave, and make sure none desturb us while we're in here. Post Henry at the door in fact." The Duke replied before going to the window and looking outside.

Prince Hans stepped in as Ivan motioned him to enter with his brothers. When Ivan offered to take their coats, they shed the outer garments and hats as the larger man took his leave with a curtsy bow of sorts. Hans stepped into the office as his two brothers kept closer to the door. They weren't called upon yet, but they carried most of the information their brother needed for that meeting. "I see you're doing well off here Grand Master." Hans said calmly.

"Yes" The Duke replied, "Seven years ago we were thwarted in our plans to overcome Arendelle and make it a Templar base in the northern line. And yet the Queen." The Duke grumbled the title that Elsa possessed, as Hans leafed through several execution orders "A witch. Still rules, and has cut off trade ties with Weselton." He turned from the window "She is not listed in there. Not yet. Not until I get an answer to my offer of a trade. Her title of queenship, for my guest. So far I have received nothing. I am beginning to fear they never got my offer."

"It is a possible outcome that Elsa would send people in secret to liberate your guest." Hans said, he motioned to his brothers, Walter stepped forwards and held out a box. Hans opened it and withdrew a device. A camera system that his brothers Trake, Truuk and Brain had set up in Arendelle. Hans removed a picture and held it up. "I believe this may interest you. Trake took it last year, I only managed to sort through the device this week before getting your summons."

The image showed Matthew Michaels, along with Mark Wolfe, liberating the Arko district and also the Antiquitas district at the same time. With them however was the unmistakeable blond haired though hooded Assassin recruit. The Duke took a careful look before setting the image on the desk. "She is one of them then ?"

"Apparently so. Her sister Anna has some sword skills, but there was nothing I was able to experience. Other than her voice. I must admit for a time I was in love. Until things changed." Hans said thoughtfully

"Yes. The lust for power changed us all had it not" The Duke said thoughtfully. He smiled. "I have gotten word from our spies within Arendelle, our first attempts have failed in th last year or so to take down Queen Elsa. First attempt failed outright, an ice harvestor had gotten in the way, and the queen impaled our killer herself, and took from him his only means of defense."

"The shard, Elsa possesses it now ?" Hans asked, a shocked look on his face.

"Indeed. To make matters worse; Elsa also possesses an Apple of Eden as well. Something we have tried, time and again, to obtain." The Duke said. "Unfortunately it was her sister, the Princess of Arendelle, that recovered the device! And now we have a guest in my basement! And they do not answer anything I send to them."

"To make matters even worse they possess two Pieces, do they even know what they are ?" Hans asked

"Doubt it. The Queen according to my spies, has been more focused on eliminating certain groups within Arendelle, and one of those groups she brought in; well, that is where our guest comes from." The Duke said "She brought in Assassin's, from the south far south and mystical east apparently. Never have I seen a woman such as Snowfeather." The duke gripped the edge of the desk and looked to Hans. "When you and I were last at Arendelle, what did we see the most in that kingdom ?"

"Templar presence; there was a strong Templar presence in the Kingdom of Arendelle seven years ago, I saw very little Assassin presence if any at all. Why ? What are you saying ? That the queen is now backing the Assassin order ?" Hans asked

The Duke smiled. "Why do you suspect I have our guest in my basement ? She is one of them, ask her. If she'll speak to you" The Duke was still slightly unnerved that Snowfeather, who was really Blackmane, had not spoken a word since arriving the year before.

Hans perked an eyebrow. "Let me get this right. For the last year. You've had an Assassin, in the basement ?" Maybe that sounded wrong, but something rang warning bells in Hans mind. "How the fuck did you manage that ?" This was considered an extreme rarity to begin with.

"Apparently she wanted to come back. Said she had a date she wanted to keep so she came up on ship, let my men arrest her, and she's been in the basement cells quiet as a cat ever since arrival" The Duke replied. "She has not said a word. But she eats, and drinks. And sleeps just fine, fit and healthy woman I must admit. Though, sadly, not exactly my type or time."

"Give me an hour then ? I might be able to grill something out of her, what's her name ?" Hans asked as he stacked a few files on the desk for the Duke, the Grand Master of the Northern Templars, to look over, one of them included information on Elsa, and the others in the area that were recent arrivals.

"All yours, I'll give you the whole day, or until dinner, or lunch, take your pick, if you get something out of her, she's all yours" The Duke replied.

Hans smiled, yes, this was going to be fun for sure. "I'll have answers in time for dinner." He said, the Duke waved him off. Hans had a party to host.

 **Weselton Manor**

 **Basement Cells**

 **A few minutes later**

"Open the cell" Hans commanded. A soldier did as odered. Snowfeather smiled, it was time for the fun to begin! If only he knew the truth. She had her back to the door, as with every other day when the Duke tried talking to her. But this was Prince Hans, her old friend, her old flame. This was going to be fun.

The cell was opened and Hans stepped in, he held onto the key. He had work to do when this was over. The cell was closed behind him. "Hello Snowfeather, its been a long time, hasn't it ?"

"It has." Blackmane replied in the guise of her sister. Hans was none the wiser. Though he was smarter than he looked. He'd not noticed anything wrong with his old friend.

"Tell me, how is it that an Assassin such as yourself, managed to get captured so easily by the Templar Grand Master of the Northern Line ?" Hans asked

"Because I had a date to finish, I wanted to finish it. And therefore, let myself get captured upon arivival" Blackmane replied. "Besides, we eluded you many a time in the south and even questioned you and the duke years ago after that failed attempt to seize power up north in Arendelle."

Hans visibly stiffened before relaxing, yes, it was true, he wanted Arendelle for his own, a base of power in order to get what he was after. But then he met Snowfeather on the way home when his ship was boarded by the beautiful arabic exotic woman. "Yes, you did, and yet here you are. After so many years you sit here in this cell, apparently you're kept rather well. I trust the Duke treats all his guests, even those of his enemies, with good taste."

"That he does, yet he asks all the wrong questions." Blackmane said in reply.

"Really ?" Hans asked. "What questions was he not asking ?"

"What missions we have in the nearby towns of Arendelle." Blackmane replied, Hans still had yet to notice who he was really talking to. Blackmane continued, she rattled off a short list of six different contracts in two cities. Steal a win, which was to steal or replace a jockey on a racehorse bet to ensure the Templars lost. Another was to spread rumors. And a third also in the same city, was to assassinate a politican. Sadly, all those contracts had been completed in the last year alone. Each contract Blackmane detailed had been successfully completed. She said nothing of the loss of Dnemarkian Templars inside Arendelle and the retaking of the kingdoms seventy one districts.

Hans wrote it all down. When she finished he smiled, he'd learned a lot. Or so he thought. He folded up his pad. Putting it away he said simply "If only the cross and the assassins never stood between us we'd still be together" He said.

"If only your greed at wanting to lead Arendelle had not clouded your mind we'd still be together." Blackmane corrected. Hans looked ready to backhand her, but instead he just grunted something and turned to leave.

"I will speak to the duke, you're provided me with enough information to grant your release. In the mean time, I will have you moved to better quarters." With that Hans left the cell and handed the key back to the soldier after informing him to move Blackmane to a better nicer and cleaner cell.

 **Weselton Manor**

 **Rear Gardens**

 **Late afternoon**

A few hours later Hans found the Duke by the fountain in the back gardens. With the information he had collected from Snowfeather, Hans felt it time to act, Arendelle was weak, if there were any Assassin's there, it was easy pickings. "I have it" he declared

"I hope it is good news. You were down stairs for quite some time." The Duke replied. The current Grand Master looked at his second, Prince Hans was going to make a grand master of the Templar Order very soon, he felt it. He knew it.

"It is very good news" Hans said taking a seat next to the Duke, hopening his pad he rattled off the list of contracts. "Best thing is, almost all of these contracts occur here in Weselton, only one of them occurs in Bursia." He said. A servant came with a gin and tonic and set it before them. Hans passed on the drink.

"That is very good information Master Hans. However, I do believe there is some things to be looked into, a recent race was lost. I think I know of why. Look into it and find out for me. Apparently, my jockey is missing. I want him found and brought here. Preferably alive." The Duke replied, The other contracts he paid no heed. If they were to occur soon, then they'd be ready. "Anything else from our geust ?"

"Yes, I had her moved to a better cell, cleaner and nicer than her current one, you really need to do some cell updates, one of the most respected and powerful Assassin's in the world. And you got her locked away in a flimsy cell location." Hans replied, "You can easily lock her down in a much better location. Where you had her she could have easily picked the lock."

"Nobody has ever picjed a bridell lock before. I'd love to see them try." The Duke replied as a water was brought for Hans. The two men drank for long moments in silence before the Duke asked. "What happened that day ?"

"I'm sorry ?" Hans replied

"Between you and the Assassin, what happened to drive you apart ?" The Duke said "My guess is that it was Arendelle, the plot to kill the Queen, take over. Or was it something else ? Your interest in Princess Anna perhaps ?"

"No, none of those. It was the fact she was an Assassin, is an assassin. A killer, a killer of Templars and innocents alike." Hans replied. As far as Hans knew, Snowfeather killed without a care, he was wrong.

"What if I were to tell you that the Assassins work in different manners than we first thought ?" The Duke said, Hans and he traded looks, the Duke continued "What if the Assassins're teaching the Queen their arts ? What if that is happening right now under our noses ?"

"We would know of it." Hans replied, He explained his spies in Arendelle, their technology. And the word they were to send once they were able to get information as needed. "My brothers are currently hiding in Arendelle, watching for both signs of the Assassins and the Queens dealings with them. So far they've come up empty."

At least that was the initial thought when a servant came up. "Sirs." the servant said with a bow "Masters Trake, Truuk and Brad wish to see you right away, they say it is most urgent."

"Seems we have our news. Let us speak with your brothers." The Duke said getting to his feet and handing his servant the empty cup. Prince Hans nodded and followed the duke into the manor.

 **Weselton Manor**

 **Delvepor room**

 **An hour later**

Trake looked at the negative, "This thing is built like Elsa, Looks like Elsa, and is dressed like Elsa, who do you think it is ?" He asked to Brad.

Brad looked at the negative then said "Elsa Mrodanu" Meaning his wife Lissabeth.

"Why don't you worry about your wife later so we can help Hans figure out the problem." As Trake retorted to his younger brother, he heard the door open and Hans, and the Duke both stepped into the room. "Ah, little brother, Duke. Good to see you both." Trake handed over the image to Hans, the Duke saw it as well. "This just came in by carrier dove. Something tells me trouble is brewing in Arendelle, I sent a return note saying to pack up and leave as quickly and quietly as possible." He also handed over the note that came with the film

Hans read the note aloud "Akro Distrct is next, Illitain slain by Queen Elsa herself in the Ice Rink Courtyard two weeks ago. Queen Elsa seen several times with the Assassins, two faction buildings have been reopened. One of which are the Courtesan girls. Queen Elsa was reported to be aganst their reopening. Allowed it anyhow." he folded the note and tossed it on the fireplace wood pile.

"Alright, you did good in sending word to Arendelle to our brothers there. Brain and Walter I want home as quickly and safely as possible, we need to rethink our plan, send in Rik and Henrik and have them join up the Arendelle Guard to keep an eye within the ranks, And have Henri join the castle staff to keep eyes on the queen." Hans said. The Duke nodded, already Hans was making a good leader. Take nodded. Writing up the note as his brother spoke he sent it too by carrier dove moments later.

"We may have a problem keeping eyes directly on the queen herself." Truuk said calmly, he showed Hans a second picture, this one showing a older silver haired man with brillian cyan eyes. "According to Brian, this man sneezed quite loudly at a recent gathering of soldiers, at that sneeze, all our men in that gathering were killed, frozen solid."

"Great, we got an Assassin in the basement, now this bad news. Is there any GOOD news ?" Hans thundered.

"There is one bit of good news." Said the Duke. Everyone turned to him. "We've yet to get any formal reply by either bird or curior. When either one arrival to agree to chatting by the fire, our prize we possess, an Assassin Den Master. In exachange for... say... the queen to give up her throne and title..."

"She'd never go for it." Brad spoke up. "According to Walter's last notice; Queen Elsa does not even know one of her Assassins are even here."

"That does not leave us with much." Hans said

"No, it does not." The Duke agreed; "We will have to send notice via curiour then. It will be the only way we can get a response."

"It is a two week trip by sea, Grand Master. How do you expect a curiour to make it faster than that ?" Truuk asked.

"Simple, We have a few mystics, they travel from place to place within the blink of an eye. They can send the notice or act as curiour before coming back here just as swiftly." The Duke replied. "We send one of our mystics to Arendelle, inform the queen of our deal, and then return here with the verdict from the Queen, it is easier than one thinks."

"It is also quite risky, sending a mystic. Some of these Assassins have... powers akin to the queens own. You remember the silver haired man ?" Brad said, Hans and the Duke nodded "He is similar if not more powerful than Queen Elsa, according to Walter; he now teaches the Queen on how to be an Assassin. Twice now according to our brother, Queen Elsa has done a Leap of Faith."

Hans growled under his breath "So the queen is not just siding with the Assassins, but learning to become one. Interesting. She is too beautiful to not notice among those in Arendelle. That white hair of hers turns eyes her way." The Duke murmured thoughtfully. "Makes her easy to spot when going in for the kill."

"If she has killed; then we have not seen it, according to our brothers, Elsa slew Illitain, one of our footpads in the Arendelle Guard." Hans corrected "According to Walter, Elsa struck Illitain down without warning, and without anyone noticing her do it until he was in pieces on the ground."

"So she is learning. We will have to grab her quick, make her an offer she cannot refuse. If that" The Duke said, he began to pace. "One thing is for certain, if what we fear is happening. Then we will loose Arendlle to the Queen and her Assassin cohorts. But wont lose our other towns and cities under our control."

"I agree with that plan" Said Truuk, Brad nodded in agreement; Trake didn't say a word as he was busy taking a long shot of hard alcohol. Best case scenario, they at least held onto a few templar towers in Arendelle. Absolute perfect case scenario, they kidnap the queen and take her someplace out of the kingdom. To one of the other cities, perhaps Bursia or Barcelona. Someplace to keep her out of the way, unable to use her powers to get free. And if she did get free, unable to flee to anyhere or get back home.

They had to make plans then.

"It is coming up on the anniversary of the crowning of Queen Elsa of Arendelle" Brad said thoughtfully, he was right, every year Elsa always took a two night stay away from the kingdom on the anniversary of first her parents death, then her crowning, just to have some time to herself or with her sister without worry of anyone wanting to see them or have her do something in her queenly power. Normally she took her sister, and one friend or two, to her Ice Palace, Hans knew where it was, as did Geevs and Maximuli. Of course Geevs and Max both had tried to take down the queen at the time.

"What do you suggest Prince Hans ?" The Duke asked, turning to hans, as his brother finished speaking, Hans felt all eyes turn to him, a evil smile graced his face.

"I suggest we pay Queen Elsa a visit, on her anniversary of becoming queen. We have less than a week. Go by land and we can get there within three days at best possible speed." Hans said evily. The Duke smiled thinly. "I know where her ice palace is. She alays stays there on her anniversary of becoming queen. It will be the perfect chance to kidnap her."

"Once you kidnap her, alive and unharmed, what will you do with her then ? Where will you hide her ?" The Duke asked. "It willl have to be temporary, we have some unexpected allies in Oslo looking for our silver haired fellow that is teaching the Queen."

Hans glanced at his brothers, they had tranq darts they could use, the same stuff the others were going to use to poison Elsa with in the market before that was fouled up by the silver haired man. "We have weapons that can knock her out, regardless of if she tried to defend herself, one shot is all we need, just one mark on her fair skin and she's dead to the world for 96 hours"

"One shot is all you need ?" The Duke repeated slyly, "Perfect! Make ready to travel; I will tend to our guest in my basement. Good luck to you Prince Hans. Bring me the queen and you solidify your post as my second. Remember, the queen is our primary target to bargan with the CIA. Now get going."

 **Weselton Manor**

 **Basement cells**

 **Dusk**

Blackmane activated a screen off her wrist, the guards never really knew what she said, as she always spoke arabic. A langauge unknown in the north, Weselton had no idea what was coming at all. Only that Blackmane was making plans. Activating the screen she spoke "Snowfeather, its me. Reveal yourself to the queen. And then activate a transport array, I will activate the other end here. I want you both to come through. It is important. There is no time to lose!"

" _Both of us ? Isn't that a bit much ?_ " Snowfeather asked over the tiny screen.

"It will have to do for this moment, the guards rarely wonder what I do here. Be sure to come unnoticed from your end, I will provide enough of a distract for them to not care on this side." Blackmane said, she had things to explain. "There is too much to explain over wire, I have to do it in person."

" _Explain what ?_ " Snowfeather asked.

"Hans is in town, and he's getting ready for something, I gave him some of our successful contracts that our underlings have done so far. Its only a matter of time before he goes after larger game. For wont of a better term." Blackmane replied.

Snowfeather thought a long moment, then finall she nodded " _Alright, we'll come to you, give me ten minutes, and then you activate your side of the transport array, I'll activate my side in exactly ten minutes from now._ " Snowfeather replied. Blackmane nodded and cut the connection.

 **Arendelle**

 **Marketplace District**

 **Assassin Headquarters**

"Blackmane ?" Elsa called out, She'd gone with Matthew to librate the Arko District; a task easier said than done, the place was swarming with templar soldiers. Thankfully Elsa provided enough of a distraction in order to let Matthew light the signal tower. But when Matthew insisted that she do it. She had stared him down. There was no way in hell she was going to climb up the outside of a signal tower in her queenly garb! Heck for all she knew, she might be more of a target. At least that was what she told Matthew.

Snowfeather sighed, it was time to tell the truth. The whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Turning around as Elsa entered, the queen saw not Blackmane but Snowfeather standing there. "Your majesty ?" Snowfeather said.

"I thought Blackmane was here, when did you get back ?" Elsa asked. Then a thought hit her, Elsa crossed her arms over her chest and stared hard at Snowfeather, a bare foot tapping on the tiled floor. "Alright, out with it. what's going on ?"

"Simple version, Blackmane went as me to the Duke of Weselton; we've done this act so many times that nobody can tell us apart, apparently not even yourself." Thankfully it was just the two of them in the headquarters at the time, Snowfeather stepped closer "I'm telling you this in the strictest of confidence. You can't tell anyone I told you this, but I;ve been here the entire last year, ever since I... left, to go to the Duke of Weselton. I just finished speaking with Blackmane just before you came in."

"OK, and ?" Elsa trusted Snowfeather more than she trusted Blackmane. But if Blackmane could pose as Snowfeather and Snowfeather as Blackmane, who could she truly trust ?

"Hans just visted her where she is at. We've a problem." Snowfeather said, she then launched into the explination of what Blackmane had learned. And that Blackmane wanted them both to go to Weselton right away. The only way to do it was by way of the transport array. That gained Elsa's undevided attention instantly. With a stiff nod Elsa agreed, she'd go to Weselton, but only if she did not have to actually speak to the Duke.

"Alright" Elsa said, holding up a hand, Snowfeather quieted at her tone, "I'll come with you to Weselton, but the second the Duke shows up, you transport me out as quickly as you possibly can, I want to avoid speaking to the man for as long as I possibly can manage. Are we understood ?"

Snowfeather nodded "Intimately" She said in reply, which meant that Snowfeather was going to activate the transport array and let Elsa come back here when any footsteps sounded outside their destination. No matter who it was outside their targeted destination, Elsa was not going to stick around to find out who it was. And Snowfeather had agreed to that exact order. "Are you ready ?"

"You mean we are to leave now ?" Elsa asked confused, only to have her words cut off rather suddenly as Snowfeather cast the transportation array around them, inside three heartbeats all Elsa saw was sprialing light before coming to a fast halt next to Snowfeather inside a cell behind Blackmane who stood looking at the door.

 **Duke of Weselton Manor**

 **Basement cells**

"About time you got here." Blackmane said, she turned to speak to her sister, seeing Elsa and the still acive transport array Blackmane raised an eyebrow towards Snowfeather, something was up ? "A fast way out ?" Blackmane asked in Arabic

"The only way she would come along" Snowfeather replied in kind stepping up to her twin sister. Elsa then saw the solid remarkable resemblence between the pair. "Any footsteps she gets wind of, she goes back through, not wasting any time speaking with the Duke or Hans or anyone that is coming. I'm not even going to bother to hide her anywhere in this cell while they come by. Its too risky to even attempt it, heck it'll be all I can do to remain unseen at all for that matter should anyone come by. what's eating you ?"

"Hans was here no more than an hour ago. I gave him our completed contracts, acted as if those contracts were in progress, give him something to chase and give us some more time in order to rerbuild Arendelle." Blackmane replied calmly, this time in english for Elsa to hear and understand.

"What is he planning ?" Elsa asked quietly joining the two, but staying within reach of the still active transport array. If Hans was still planning on taking Arendelle for his powerbase, he had something else coming to him for sure. She'd make sure of it.

"At this moment what I was able to overhear thanks to the air and wind carrying their conversation, they're planning something, a hunt of some kind." Blackmane dared not tell Elsa about the danger the queen was going to be in, Blackmane spoke rapidly in Arabic to Snowfeather 'no matter what the queen tells you, follow her on her anniversary vacation.'

"A hunt ?" Why was that inmportant, when Blackmane spoke rapidfire arabic it confused Elsa briefly before Elsa broke in saying "Enlish please, Blackmane, Snowfeather, keep me in the loop here, where is he going on this hunt ?"

"North Valley, not far from the Northern Mountains. Why ?" Blackmane asked, then she smiled "Don't worry, where they go is on the west side of the mountain range, nowhere near the ice palace, I've seen where they go on their hunts. Place is crawling with game they go for." She said, a lie, but it worked. The place hans and his goons were going was actually Elsa's Ice Palace.

Elsa took the bait and nodded, "Alright, sounds OK to me, but why have me come here ? I'd rather you come to my cells rather then us coming to the Dorks cells." Elsa grumbled. She crossed her arms then, waiting for Blackmane to explain herself. Which Blackmane did, at least until Snowfeather picked up footsteps headed their way followed by the dukes voice. Casting a glance towards Elsa, the Queen nodded and fell backwards into the transportation array as Snowfeather pretty much scampered up into the overhead beams.

"Alright Snowfeather, you've been here a year, without saying so much as a good morning to my servant Ivan. Now you will at least speak to me, you spoke with Prince Hans." The cell was opened and 'snowfeather' was lead out and held in front of the Duke. "Well ? What have you to say for yourself ?"

Blacmkmane thought a long moment before smiling thinly. "Your wig is on backwards." And it was, the Duke however got so furious that he backhanded Blackmmane solid so hard he sent her flying back into her cell with a crash.

"Lock the cell, give me the key. Make sure she has food and water, but only enough for three more days. When I come back in three days she'd better be ready to talk, or else I will think of something derastic to do to her."

"Sir!" Cried out a voice, it was Ivan, "a return notice from Walter. He informs that the queen had recently been sighted in the Arko District. That is a heavy Templar district of Arendelle. Something's wrong. Something big is going down and whatever it is, the queen of Arendelle is in the thick of it."

The Duke smiled "and right before her annual week long ice palace vacation. Wonderful. She will be too worried of Arko and the other districts to have any fun on her annual trip to the Ice Palace." The small man slinked off, rubbing his hands in glee for what he planned to have happen when the time was right.


	9. Seqeunce 3 Memory 2

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Sequence 3**_

 ** _Memory 2: {Wo}men of War_**

 **12 may 2051**

 **Duke of Weselton Manor**  
 **Basement Cells**

 **Dusk**

A transport spell activated. It was time. Snowfeather arrived through it; With her was Elsa, In the strictest of confidence the plan was laid and details were given before footsteps were heard. Elsa nodded and went back through, She'd make sure they'd arrive safely within her bedroom on the other side

As soon as the Duke had left the cell and the news reached their ears, Snowfeather picked up her sister from where she had hit the wall, quite hard at that and helped her up, casting a look around she activated the transport array and sent her sister through. Then she setup the trap.

First Snowfeather set the wooden items within the cell against each other in a fire ready fashion. Then she used the air and water around the cell lock to make sure it as rock solid and rusted out, useless. Then she cast one hell of a fireball. The dry wood lit like hay in a barn. It'd spready quickly she knew, but only so far once put out. The dead body Blackmane and Elsa tossed through the transport array just then landed in the fire.

Perfect! What made her smile somewhat sadistically was that the dead body was none other than Prince Hans elder brother Henri. Apparently Elsa had discovered the ruse and had done something about it seeing the ice upon the body. It hissed and steamed but did not melt. Well, this was not going to go well. A quick look around and Snowfeather smiled as the smoke billiowed out from the fire location before she too jumped into the transport array and disappeared from Weselton Manor.

Not more than three minutes later had Hans and the Duke both stood and helped put the fire out, when it was finally out they saw a dead body within it. But Hans knew that body, it was Henri. His body was frozen solid. Elsa had figured out the ruse quicker than he had expected. When Henri's body was finally pulled from the rubble and soot, Hans started pacing, "This is not going to plan, Henri was my only link inside Arendelle Castle." He grumbled. "He's gone now. So how are we supposed to spy on the queen ?"

"Easy, your brothers took images for us and sent them to us, let them continue their work as they have been. We'll get our chance soon." The Duke replied, "Besides, if Elsa caught Henri and recognised him, she'll know who else to look for, but if she caught him and did not recognise him, then she does not know what we're planning, unless she searched his body like most assassins do when they make a kill."

"That is a thought. Bring him over here." Hans replied, he motioned to his brothers to bring Henri to the nearby table, he then broke the ice that encased his brother, patting his brother down carefully he found everything on his person, well, almost everything, his weapons had been taken, naturally, along with his money, also naturally, and lastly, his orders from Hans himself were also found to be missing. "Damnit, they have his orders direct from us." He slammed a fist on the table.

"Should we recall Walter and Brian ?" Brad asked.

"No, they're working with the Arendelle Guard, not with the castle staff directly. They wont have any contact with Elsa as long as they work with the guards, unless they're assigned to guard duty within the castle gates directly." Hans replied aving off his brother. Hans started pacing. This was going downhill fast. "It is a strong possiblity that Henri destroyed his orders, if they were taken, Elsa would have found Walter and Brian by now and sent them back to us like this." Hans leaned on the table, both hands on the surface.

"What is the chance in that ?" The Duke asked.

"A pretty good one I'd say" Said Brad who stood next to him. "Normally the guards change, and given they're new recruits, so to speak, they'd not be part of the inner castle guards if at all this soon unless the inner guard are drawn out or thin ranked, regardless, after what we have heard of the death of one of our men, Illitain, and all his soldiers loyal to our cause freezing within heartbeats when Elsa slew him. It is quite possible that our brothers are in danger."

"Possible yes, but Elsa never met them, she has no idea who they are, they know the risks of this job, if they're found out its on them, not us, but if they still have their orders from us here, then we've got a problem." Hans replied

"So what do you suggest ?" The Duke said thoughtfully.

"We continue with our current plan, have Walter and Brian keep tabs on Elsa and keep the Arendelle Guard busy; we'll even let them take Arko district as well, there are plenty of other districts in Arendelle, it is a large city to begin with. Have our men pull back to one of the larger districts away from the castle and librated districts so far, their next target after Arko is most likely Roughwater or Westwater, possibly also Northshire or even Whitehall. Have our men group at Whitehall, its the least defended at this moment. We'll let them take the other districts." Hans said, Brad nodded and left to send word to his brotheres still alive in Arendelle while Hans would see to the proper transportation and burial of Henri.

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Elsa's bedroom**

 **At that same moment**

As soon as Snowfeather fell into view and the transportation array faded out of sight and memory Elsa stood at the door, the window was wide open letting in both a breeze and taking out the scent of smoke and soot. When Snowfeather stood on her own two feet she saw a snowflake pattern embedded into the floor. There was no rug as far as Snowfeather could see and the transportation array fit into the snowflake perfectly. Elsa turned towards her. A questioning look was on Snowfeathers face. And she saw that Elsa held her mothers journal protectively against her chest.

Looking first to Elsa, then to Blackmane, Snowfeather asked. "Do I want to know what happened for the body to be frozen through the transport array ?"

It was Elsa that spoke first as she all but collapsed into the chair at her desk. "One of Hans brothers tried to harm me. Before he could get close enough I froze him. Once I knocked him out I went over his body, took his weapons, even some money he had on him. He also had this." She held out a paper to Blackmane, who inturn could not read the writing so she handed it to Snowfeather who easily translated it as she read it aloud.

"'As instructed, you are to take out Queen Elsa as quickly as possible, use whatever means needed to do the deed but make it look like an accident befell her. You are not, under any means, to reveal yourself to the castle staff. Your brother, Hans'" Snowfeather held the note as if it was about to bite her.

Seeing her holding it in such a way, Elsa said simply "Get rid of it, like how I got rid of the body, just get rid of it. Prince Hans tried to kill me and my sister, but my sister sacrificed herself to save me when she was almost frozen solid. Get rid of that note. I saved it for you to read, now I want it gone" Snowfeather noticed that Elsa seemed freaked out by something. So she did as told. Snapping her fingers she produced a flame on her fingers, while underher fingers trails of energy formed a pattern catching the ash and turneing it into harmless snowflakes that quickly faded away.

"Done." Snowfeather said, "You can relax. You defended yourself before you were harmed. Was anything changed around in the room ?" Elsa shook her head, she had turned it upside down since sending Henri through the transport array and found nothing wrong. But it did not hurt for both Blackmane and Snowfeather to make sure.

The three of them went through her bedroom, checking over everything carefully, not missing a detail. Finally Elsa gave a sigh of relief and sat down on her bed. Setting her mothers journal on the nightstand beside the bed. Elsa spoke, her head in her hands. "Why didn't you tell me before ?"

"Because we wanted to be sure the ruse would hold. And when it did hold for the desired time, we chose to tell you" Blackmane replied, somewhat harsh was her tone, yet it was a good reason. "I am sorry we had to do such a thing, Elsa, but it had to be done. The only way to learn what the Duke and Hans were planning was to infiltrate their realm for a year."

"With no word from us either, though we got many carrier doves ourselves from the Duke. We burned them all. And replied to none of them; save for that last one. About Arko district." Snowfeather replied

At the mention of Arko District Elsa perked up a bit and looked to Snowfeather "Arko District, you mean between the port and Roughwater districts ? We took it ?" Snowfeather nodded, "When ? Why was I not told ?" Elsa pressured

Snowfeather smiled. "While we were screwing around with Prince Hans at the Dukes place, when you came back here as planned when the Duke returned, we were taking Arko from the Templars, its librated now." Snowfeather explained the plan then to Elsa, not leaving out any details. Matthew had sent Elsa out of Arko due to the sheer number of Templars in the district alone. Which was why she had gone to... Snowfeather in the Marketplace District. While Elsa was with Snowfeather and the two of them went to Weselton to bring back Blackmane

Snowfeather said nothing of what the duke was planning, speaking then in Arabic as if swearing or the like, Blackmane replied in kind in a confused manner wondering what her sister meant by 'nothing is said; it might just be a ruse. Say anything about what the Duke said and Elsa wont go on her annual trip. She must go on this trip, otherwise her people will think something is wrong.' Blackmane reluctulantely agreed.

Elsa sighed and lowered her hands. "I don't get it, why ? Why lie to me ? Why wait until now to tell me the truth of who really went to Weselton and who you really are ?"

"You trust me, do you not ?" Blackmane asked. She knew that Elsa would kill her given the chance, but so far, Elsa had yet to see that need or chance to take down Blackmane. So all Elsa could do was nod in reply.

"I am sorry we had to lie to you Elsa, but it had to be done. It was the only way to ensure that the Duke would give us the information we wanted, but even after a year we do not know what they are planning, other then take you down and make it look like an accident." Snowfeather said.

"What do you suggest ?" Elsa said, she set her hands on her knees, "I'm open to offers and thoughts here. What do you have in mind, because I can't think of anything right now."

Blackmane and Snowfeather traded looks; It was now or never. Blackmane spoke first. "What we're about to tell you, cannot be told to anyone else." She said, Elsa looked up at her. What did she mean ? Blackmane continued "When I told you of the legend, how I knew of it. It was my doing that ensured your birth when Queen Marissa, your ancestor, was married to King Joseph; the Templars plotted to kill Queen Marissa, and so I stole into her chambers without being seen." Blackmane saw that she had Elsas undevided attention as she spoke.

"I slew the Templar as he was about to strike down your ancestor. Your ancestor, Queen Marissa did not trust me either, and asked me if I could be trusted. I gave the same answer that I gave you, if you do not trust me, strike me where I stand, and then bury me in a watery grave I said." Blackmane explained then how both Queen Marissa and King Joseph acted and wanted her to be part of the family. But she had tasks to attend to and had to decline the offer.

"When you sent the dagger out, when Matthew picked it up and sent it to me. It made me remember your ancestor." Blackmane then explained the very brief vision she had of Marissa at the throne on the day Blackmane had left Arendelle for home nearly four hundred years before.

Finally Elsa spoke up as she got back to her feet. "I think I understand now. What you did for my ancenstor, what you did here. You had to lie and cheat to get the job done, it is understandable I will understand that. But having to lie to me for a year of where you really were. That I cannot come to grips with at this time. Maybe tomorrow when I am more awake, but right now, there is just too much going on for me to think rightly." Elsa said.

"Well, actually, We're all needed for something important, Arko was just librated, and now we need to make sure it stays that way. Come on, lets do some recruiting around the librated districts. You may have to slay a few templars, so have your sword ready." Blackmane said, turning to leave. Only to halt fast as a icicle shot from Elsa's fingers and locked the door.

"Not until you explain to me exactly why you did this to me. Why you lied to me this past year." Elsa said getting to her feet. Blackmane knew the only way out was to tell the truth. But she was not here the last year, she kept her mouth shut as Elsa glared daggers at Snowfeather. "Once you explain it to me of why you did it, then we go to Arko and finish the libration."

At those words, Snowfeather explained everything carefully. Leaving out no details until Elsa was satisfied with her explination. When Elsa was satisfied with what Snowfeathe told her the ice on the door melted as she moved from the bed to the side table and picked up her mothers journal. Going to her desk she locked the journal inside with a snowflake lock. She turned back to the others and nodded, she was ready. They had some assassins to recruit.

 **Arendelle**

 **Port District**

 **A few minutes later**

Elsa went with Snowfeather to the Port District while Blackmane returned to the headquarters building for the Assassin order. Moving through a few groups of people Snowfeather withdrew from a pocket a device of some form. "What is that ?" Elsa asked.

"Smoke bomb. Switch to eagle vision when I set this off, this will help us take down our enemies unseen." Snowfeather explained. She then handed a hidden blade to Elsa, "I think you need one of these." She said

Elsa smirked and produced her own, made of ice, something she had experimented with for a long time since Matthew took her back under his wing. Unseen on her arms until she willed them to appear, the twin ice blades were both sharp and deadly yet amazingly beautifully crafted. Snowfeather returned the smirk and placed the hidden blade in a pack. "I think I will be ok" Elsa replied.

"Alright, come on" Snowfeather said, they rounded a corner and came upon a group of templar soldiers harrassing a Arendelle citizen. Elsa held her hand up to keep Snowfeather from barging in. The young man the Templars were harrassing was innocent and Elsa felt that she should free him. So, she produced a pair of snowflakes, one in each hand, they looked like smaller versions of her sword. They were knives.

Elsa then stalked forwards, though she was in her queenly garb, the silvery green dress with ice highlights shimmered in the darkness as the streetlamps came on. Elsa moved forwards and easily slit the throat of the leader of the group of Templars. With their leader down, the other six split, three towards the queen, three towards the commoner they were originally harassasing. Within a minute the six were all cut down.

When the last templar fell the young man turned to Elsa and dropped to one knee, Elsa's snow knives disappeared as she held out a hand towards the man. "I am sorry to have drawn the eyes of our Queen to me with what I had done, I will repay the innkeeper sevenfold." The young man was apparently skimping out on paying for a meal and thought that the innkeeper that owned the place he had ate at sent for her to track him down.

Elsa reached down and pulled him to his feet. "Don't worry" She said, "Those were not men sent by the innkeeper. Here." Elsa produced a coin, "Pay back what you took, And then go to the marketplace, look for a woman named Blackmane, she will see to your needs." She felt Snowfeathers eyes on her as she spoke, the young man trembled as she held him. "Look, whatever happened for these men to corner you, the man you stole from did not send them after you. I've seen you before... haven't I ?" Elsa said

She then remembered the young thief clearly, the man had tried to steal from the castle, only to flee when spotted. The young man gulped hard and dropped to his knees, "I did not mean to cause trouble, I am unable to hold a job and thus had to resort to stealing just to survive. Please, don't hurt me your highness." He said trembling on the ground on his knees.

Elsa smiled and pulled the man back to his feet. "Relax, I wont hurt you, give the man you stole from that coin, and then go see Blackmane in the marketplace district. Lets put those stealing skills to proper use." Elsa said to the young man. The man nodded and after a brief bow of thanks he took off with the coin. Snowfeather never asked where Elsa had gotten the coin from. There were some secrets best left unsaid and unasked.

Instead Snowfeather stepped into view "Very good for the first recruit you've made. Normally recruits don't do the recruiting, and yet. Here you are, recruiting another into our ranks." Snowfeather said, Elsa smiled, "You did good, sparing his life, giving the thief the coin with which to pay for something he had taken. You did well in defending him also."

It was rare, Elsa stared at Snowfeather, the woman rarely praised anyone, let alone her! "I'm sorry, but, what are you saying ?" Elsa was confused over what Snowfeather meant, was she supposed to harm the young man she'd just saved the life of ? "Was I supposed to harm him ? Threaten him ? Advise him ? What was I supposed to do ?"

"What you did, was what you were supposed to do. Good job. You will make a fine assassin for sure. Now, let me get rid of these bodies, then we'll meet up with Lansing and Wolfe." Snowfeather said, the mere mention of Mark brought something of a smile to Elsas face, she liked the second class Assassin. Thankfully Snowfeather never saw the smile as it disappeared as quickly as it came. Quickly setting up the bodies into a funeral peir of sorts, Snowfeather threw some fire onto the deceased and within scant moments the seven dead templars were gone.

Elsa of course was spooked by the fire and flames used by Snowfeather, white, teal, even green fire was used to burn the bodies, however Snowfeather had pickpicked each before burning the bodies. Snowfeather turned to Elsa "Come on, lets get going, we still have to meet up with our fellow assassins." With that the two of them left the scene.

 **Arendelle**

 **Arko District**

 **One hour after full dark**

When Elsa and Snowfeather arrived within the Arko District, the first thing the queen noticed was a dozen dead bodies, none of them her own people, but templars. She heard the sounds of fighting not far off still going on, and after trading looks with Snowfeather Elsa turned and took off in that direction.

On the northern end of the Arko District, Which was devided into north and south by way of the Bridge from the Castle to the Mainland. Elsa heard the sounds get louder as she got closer. Moving fast as she was able in her royal garb while barefoot was one thing entirely. She rounded a corner and saw Mark, and Matthew, cornered by a dozen or more Templars, each man jeering and trying to make a mark on both men.

They saw her come around the corner, but they never gave notice that Elsa was there. Matthew however flicked out his hand, as if throwing something, instead he flicked out frozen droplets of blood at the Templars, who easily batted aside the rocks without a care. But Matthew was trying to tell Elsa to use her powers. The Templars never looked behind when they had a enemy cornered.

Elsa caught the looks thrown her way and nodded stiffly, without a sound she flicked her wrist and a snowflake appeared, the largest snowflake Mark had ever seen. Tinking her fingernail against the center of the snowflake, Elsa shattered it, and blew the shattered points of the snowflake, sixteen of them in all, from her hand.

Each shard struck each templar perfectly in the neck, sending them all to the ground like sacks of weat. Stone dead. Elsa then made a handgun motion with her hand and blew on her fingertip as if blowing out smoke from a smoking gunbarrel. To Matthew she said "Miss me ?"

"One could assume so" Matthew replied. He disbanded his sword and stepped over the dead as Mark checked each over both for orders and money, and weapons. Two of the templars gave off heavy duty cash, the rest did not, only one had medical supplies on him. And from what Mark could see, Elsa did not need any throwing knives. "What kept you ?"

"Duke of Weselton" Elsa replied calmly. She said nothing of why exactly. At leat until Matthew managed to corner her briefly inside the den when she'd explain, but at that moment they were more focused on clearing out some more groups of Templar holdouts before moving towards the den. It was interesting in a way; Elsa in her full beautiful queenly garb, the dress she herself had made seven years before. Killing templars left and right as needed, but always from a distence.

When they finally got back to the Arko District Den, Matthew turned to Elsa, "I thought you had cut off all trade ties with Weselton. What happened."

"We did cut ties with Weselton." Elsa said, then she sighed, should she tell her mentor or no ? "But you remember, Snowfeather went there last year. We had to pick her up" Elsa said,

"I remember Snowfeather going, but picking her up ?" Matthew said. "When did this occur ?"

"Blackmane activated a transport spell thing. Took me with her. Once on the other side Snowfeather explained everything she had learned, but soon as I got back I found one of Hans brothers, Henri, snooping about in my room, I snuck up on him and knocked him out, picked his pockets, and then froze him over in ice before sending him back through the transport thing" Elsa explained. But she was keeping stuff from them, and Mark could sense it.

Seeing his cue as Matthew looked at Elsa sternly, as if she were holding information back on him. Mark spoke up. "And was anything amiss in your room ? Anything that should not be there ?"

"If you mean traps then no, Snowfeather, Blackmane and I searched through the room carefully before asertaining that Henri was not able to set up anything. But the letter and orders he had on him however directly from Prince Hans. Make it look like an accident that took my life." Esla said

"Alright another question, since you seem to be holding back something. Something that you are not telling us exactly." Mark hated doing it but with Matthew there and no doubt about to grill Elsa as if she were hamburger to begin with. Mark took over the questions. "Why a year ? Snowfeather went to Weselton yes, but why did you go ? What purpose was that for you ?"

Torn between keeping a dire secret and telling her mentor the truth Elsa chose to tell the truth over getting whacked solid. Matthew tended to break something when she lied or held back information. So she explained everything that Snowfeather and Blackmane had told her, though before she said anything she made them both swear that they'd tell no-one else.

Through it all Matthew was silent, for the first time in his life with Elsa he let her do all the talking, even Mark was quiet at the time as well, which meant trouble. Mark was already feeling guilty of grilling Elsa, but it had to be done. The young queen looked quite uncomfortable as ice was growing out from her feet as she explained her doings. Even though she felt she was breaking Snowfeathers trust, it was for the best. She saw Snowfeather out of the corner of her eye nodding. Apparently Snowfeather approved of her telling Matthew and Mark what was going on.

Elsa explained everything she could remember clearly, leaving nothing out, including her discovery of Henri snooping in her room and her knocking him out from behind, finding his orders and then freezing his body in ice before sending him back through the transport spell thing.

But she could see that the more she explained the more Mark and Matthew wanted to know more, it made her ever the more nervous that she was treading on thin ice. Someone must have noticed as suddenly there was an explosion of purple smoke in their midst and Elsa felt a firm hand on her pulling her away. Within a minute Elsa was outside with Blackmane.

Seeing who she was with after getting blinded by the smoke, Elsa was scared. "Blackmane, I'm sorry. I can't not tell the truth to Matthew, my teacher. You know that."

"I understand" Blackmane said, "It is alright. Everything you told to Matthew and Mark you were told for a reason. Do not worry, it was nothing important to us, you did not tell of what Snowfeather and I truly did. You let them believe that I took you to Weselton. And that is what counts." Blackmane said, she had a smile on her face.

Elsa smiled in return. "Thank you Blackmane, for your help." She said.

"Think nothing of it, Elsa, it is what we do. We work in the dark to serve the light, we are assassins. And you are a Queen." Blackmane said

"I am both queen and assassin, I can work both ways to get my kingdom back." Elsa replied, Blackmane smiled. "Besides, with you and the others teaching me the arts, as Matthew calls them, I can learn to also protect myself as well as Anna."

"I do not think you need to worry about Anna, she can protect herself quite well from what I hear of her venture to Blackrock." Blackmane said, Elsa smiled as the two started walking along the lane towards the Bridge to the Marketplace district and then to the castle gates from there. "From what I understand, you refused to let her go on the trip, until it was too late to stop her from leaving. Is this correct ?"

"Yes" Elsa said as they walked. Stepping onto the bridge steps Elsa halted, "Anna only wanted to help me, and to do so she went to find what she could, she brought back a device, a ball of some sort, said it activated at her touch. Called her Queen Idun, my mothers name." Elsa explained the device, how it looked and the lines it held.

Blackmane nodded "Ah" She said softly, "So your parents possessed a Piece of Eden ? Wise of your mother to hide it at Blackrock. I am quite surprised that the Wolf Queen did not hear of such movements going on in her realm."

Elsa looked at Blackmane confused. "The Wolf Queen ?" She had heard of the legends. But if she were truly around.

"A mere story most likely. But should you find out anything, look deeper into it. Perhaps then we shall know what is going on at Blackrock. If it is merely a story, or the truth. Either one." Blackmane said. "In the meantime, it is best you get some sleep. Dawn breaks early tomorrow for Assassins, and what sleep we can get is a gift." With that the Queen and Assassin parted ways for that night.

Elsa thought carefully on what Blackmane said, Wolf Queen, a story, or the truth ? And if a story, why had she never heard of it ? And if it were the truth, even then, why had she never heard of it ? With that on her mind Elsa walked back to the castle, for the evening with the gates wide open as always, Elsa spotted briefly a faint red outline of a enemy soldier before it faded quickly. Confused she merely went past the two soldiers as both men stood guard at the gates.

Elsa went straight to her room and placed a snowflake lock on the door. Locking herself in. She never saw the massive eagle alight outside her north window. Going to the desk she saw her mothers journal. It was opened to a page addressed to her. Elsa smiled, lately she'd been finding many of her mothers journals, Most of them in the library, kept there and all of them addressed to either her, or to Anna. But Anna never read the ones addressed to her.

It was scary to think of what her mother might have told Anna. Hence why Anna refused to read the journals addressed to her. Elsa however read everything addressed to her. But her mother was scared of splitting them apart as children, scared for what it might bode for the future. But Elsa knew it was for the best, their parents had wanted them to be the best girls they could, and then they perished at sea. And according to Matthew, her mother was slain by pirates two days before the storm that destroyed the ship.

Elsa steeled herself against the memory, Her parents loved her, that much she knew, and she never forgot them either. She knew that her sister even ment well, Matthew never asked any questions about the Piece of Eden that Anna had brought back the year before. That made her slightly happier.

 **Arko District Bridge**

 **At that same moment**

Blackmane slowly walked back to the district den. Thinking over everything Elsa had told her, everything said told a story and Blackmane knew in her heart that Elsa was keeping information from her, or just did not know enough to tell everything she thought. But her mentioning to the queen of the Wolf Queen and Elsa's complete confusion of such a person made her wonder exactly what was going on with the Queen and her family history.

On that note Blackmane turned to a bookshop, renovated it, and went inside to look through their history section carefully. Looking for information of the royal family tree of Arendelle itself. As she searched she found several books related to the Wolf Queen. Of course each was written up in the years well before her first time there. Which meant problems. Someone had erased all traces of the Wolf Queen from Arendelles history. And only scant bookstores had it in their history books.

Seeing who she was the shop keeper let her take the books to the den to research some more. Saying that he'd shop around the kingdom to get more, Blackmane gave him the adress of the Marketplace District den to deliver the books there before leaving the shop. She had her face in a book as she stepped from the shop and deftly missed groups of folk as they moved around the area.

She returned to the Arko District den. Only to find Mark and Matthew arguing about something. Or rather, someone. In Marks stance, Blackmane saw something of guilt for grilling Elsa for information, she could see it clearly. Matthew however, she was unable to read.


	10. Seqeunce 3 Memory 3

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memeories**_

 _ **Sequence 3**_

 _ **Memory 3: On Eagles Wings**_

 **15 May 2051**

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Queen Elsa's Bedroom**

 **Noon**

Elsa sat up at her desk with a jolt; Bleary eyed and tired, the last day or so was a total blur for her. First she was told the truth that Snowfeather was acting as her sister, than she and Snowfeather went went to Weselton to get her sister who was acting as Snowfeather in her stead for the last year; and then Elsa spotted a guy she did not want around the castle snooping in her own bedroom, she'd froze his ass solid after knocking him out and pocketing his blongings carefully. The night before she went to bed very late. No thanks to Mark, and Matthew keeping her up and grilling her carefully over what Blackmane had done. Both men were completely confused over what occurred and why, and so they had grilled her for information. She did not want to tell, because Blackmane and Snowfeather wanted to keep it secret. But Matthew was her teacher and mentor. And she had to tell him.

After being grilled for nearly the entire night and with Blackmanes help, Elsa was able to get away from Mark and Matthew thanks to a well timed smoke bomb. Elsa went to her room and locked herself in. Not even Matthew could break her snow locks! She had gone over to the desk in her room and saw her mothers journal, She had read entries that were addressed to her. Most of the stuff her mother wrote was letters to her, words she wanted to say of why she could not see Anna, or why Anna could not see her. And the pain that it brought her mother.

She'd fallen asleep reading an entry the night before. At her desk. Her gaze fell on her mothers journal, it was open to an entry she had started to read the night before she passed out, face down on the journal, but as her gaze landed on it she read it in full. " _My dearest Elsa; When you were born, you were our little angel. Your father and I felt complete with you as our daughter, your gifts of snow delighted us every morning. It may have worried the docotors and midwives, but it did not worry either of us. When Anna joined our little family whe nyou were three, our lives, all of our lives, were brightned daily with each little moment._

 _When the accident occurred, your father and I did not want to seperate you, but it was, as Pabbie said, for the best, your father agreed, I did not want to go through with it at first. But in the end I relented. I see the folly of that now. I fear I cannot go back on it._

 _You are our little Angel, Elsa, you and Anna both. The love you two share will kindle in our hearts the love we all shared once. Do not let it die. Remember, you will always have someone that loves you no matter what happens. When you read these words, rest peacefully knowing that you will always be our little Angel._

 _I love you Elsa._ "

Elsa shed a single tear as she closed the journal on her desk. But it left her with more questions than answers. Her mother clearly did not want her and Anna apart as children in the past; Elsa could easily see that in her mothers writings to her. But her father had insisted, saying it was for the best, he was right in a way, and Elsa never blamed him for what he tried to do for her. But what did her mother mean about resting peacefully knowing she was always their little Angel ?

What was an Angel anyhow ?

As she set the journal on her desk her gaze went to the window briefly as a massive eagle lifted off. Everything seemed peaceful and safe. Where had that bird come from ? Elsa went to the window and opened it, looking out she saw nothing as the eagle flew off. She had never seen anything that big in her life before.

 **Arendelle Port**

 **Assassin Den**

 **Earlier that morning**

"I think we did the wrong thing last night." Mark said thoughtfully, looking out at the port from the top of the Arendelle Ports Assassin Tower. Librated for more than a year, the kingdom was seeing new growth as time went on. In fact the most recent district liberated, Whitewall Haven, to the farthest northern part of the kingdom. Was a major blacksmith location, with dozens of blacksmith shops in the district.

"What do you mean ?" Matthew asked, he was over at the desk, going over things for recent contracts, they'd managed to librate six more dens, including Arko, Clearfalls, Longreach, and Roughwater. As they cleared out the Templars, they gained more Assassins, soon, soon the Assassins would have strong presence in Arendelle again. "We work in the dark to serve the light, how is it that we did something wrong last night ?"

"Grilling the Queen for information that Snowfeather confided in her with. That is what I mean!" Mark said turning from the window to look at Matthew, "You saw how she reacted; she wanted to spike you on the spot. But she didn't because you're teaching her the arts."

"How I run things is how I run things, Elsa asked me to teach her how to be an assassin, after she asked me of Jellicle Vision and what it was and that she possed that ability, I agreed to train her as an Assassin." Matthew replied. Over the last year since Mark had arrived, Matthew had grown, slightly, cold towards Elsa and her sister, he had started to teach Queen Elsa how to be an assassin, but he also had stopped teaching her how to control her powers. Anna had taken care of that. Matthew was now teaching Elsa how to use her powers to protect her kingdom and herself

"Don't you get it ? Just the way you're acting right now! Elsa imissed/i you when you were gone those seventy years before you came back here. You agreed to teach her the assassin arts. But I've noticed, you've grown cold, towards her. I've seen how you two are acting around one another recently. I've my ways" Mark said, raising a hand up when Matthew looked at him confused. "But my point stands, I feel we did the wrong thing last night by grilling Queen Elsa for information that Snowfeather gave her in strictiest confidence. What we did last night was wrong. I know it"

"If memory serves me correctly, Master Wolfe, it was you, that did the grilling, not me." Matthew said.

"Had you not been there it would have not been so wrong feeling for me!" Mark retorted angrly. They were about to go to blows had Blackmane not cut in.

"Will the two of you calm down ?" Blackmane growled out. She herself was not too happy that her sisters secrets were revealed between the two men. Thankfully Elsa only revealed scant details before getting just a bit too uncomfortable before Blackmane tossed a smokebomb in their midst to get Elsa out of there and the queen then disappearing into her bedroom in the castle, locking herself inside. Blackmane had observed it all, and aided the young Queen in her fleeing the scene.

Both men did seem to calm a bit as Blackmane berated them both "What you did was not important now, What is important is what the Duke now plans. Snowfeather went and contacted me after a year through the communication link. The duke plans something for Elsa, a nasty something, but what it is I do not know, nor does Snowfeather. We only heard snippets of his plot with Hans. That's all we know."

"What about Henri showing up in Elsas bedroom, you're sure there are no traps set within the room ?" Mark asked, his concern for Elsa his top priority at that moment.

"Elsa is safe, her bedroom is secure, Snowfeather and I made sure of that with the queen herself. Just to ensure she was safe I even tested her defenses." She flexed her fingers, Elsas snowflake locks hurt. Thankfully Elsa thawed out her hand before any damage had been done.

"So Elsa is safe, that is good to know" Mark said, what else did they not know ? "What's with the bookshelf following you ?" Mark asked pointing to the astack of floating books on what looked like floating glass of red mandels that spun about it

"Merely something Elsa mentioned of Blackrock, and Annas visit to that location made me think of it. The latest bookstore had it so I had everything picked up that had mention or history on what the writers refer to as Wolf Queen." Blackmane said

"The Wolf Queen ?" Matthew asked

"You know it ?" Blackmane replied

"It is more than a simple legend" Matthew replied, he explained in great detail then of the Wolf Queen, apparently the third queen of Arendelle nearly five thousand years before. "Out of fear alone the Wolf Queens only daughter somehow managed to rile the people against the queen and put her daughter in place as queen, in that time all history of that monarch was lost. But it is an interesting legend to be honest. You see, Elsa has powers over ice and snow, like myself, the Wolf Queen, she had powers over animal kind, most notably the wolves of the northern hills."

"So this wolf queen, what is so important about her exactly ?" Mark asked

"I can answer that" Snowfeather said, "The legends and mythics say that the Wolf Queen was slain, but she was also a powerful necromancer as well. Most of the wolves she used in battle were already slain beforehand for rutial sacrifices and otherwise. She was also reportedly never slain as well, and used a curse of some form to give her eternal life or similar. When she was ousted by her daughter Elena, she was hunted for a time before all memory and knowledge of her was lost."

"So now with Elsa as queen, the Wolf Queen could still be alive ? How would we manage to even take her down if she is still alive ?" Mark asked.

"I am not sure, but know this, Elsa was born with her magical powers over ice and snow, the Wolf Queen gained her powers from reading a spellbook of some form; and even then by learning spells from a book is extremely different from being born with powers. If any of us could take her on, it'd be either myself, Matthew, Blackmane or Elsa directly." Snowfeather said.

"So that leaves me out." Mark replied with a discomforted grunt of annoyance. Something about Elsa tugged at him, the night before he had made her uncomfortable and he wanted to make it up to her. In his head he was already thinknig up ways of how to make it up to her.

"Not entirely" Blackmane spoke up, after reading through some of the first volume she was able to get from the bookseller she said simply "According to this the Wolf Queen was slain at Blackrock Point, which is just around the bend from Blackrock Haven, a point beacon of sorts that looks out to the eastern White Sea."

"So then it'd be a possiblity that Wolf Queen is merely a legend, why is it not in any of the originial history books ?" Matthew asked taking a look at another book that had zero mention of the Wolf Queen in it. Only Queen Elena being a kind and just ruler. And then the family tree of the royal family, Every first born child was a girl. "Get a load of this." Matthew said. He read from the book. "'With the establishment of Arendelle one day and night south of the North Mountain, I Junisar, daughter of Findian, take the queenship, My blood shall pass to my firstborn daughter to take the crown, should I have a son first, then a daughter, my daughter shall take the crown.'"

He closed the book, "Apparently the family tree wants to remain deeply rooted in traiditon. Hence why every first born was either a girl or boy, but it was always the princess that was crowned queen. The only kings there are within Arendelle, are those that marry the Queen. There is only princes born of blood here, no kings are born or raised here." Matthew said thoughtfully.

"There is something most interesting here." Blackmane said as she found an entry in the history book she was reading, "Listen to this, it is written by the wolf queen herself. 'I will have my vengence upon my kingdom for my ruin. My quest will consume me. I will take my search to the ends of the earth. I am the Wolf Queen, and my kindred will grow to harrass my old kingdom. Arendelle will fall before I do. I will make sure of it.' Apparently the Wolf Queen lives on in the form of a wolf of some form. Somwhere." Blackmane set the book down on the stack. "I have more to research, but until I knew more, none of us will go to Blackrock point, Blackrock Haven has been used and the wolf queen steers clear of that area. She is afraid of it for some reason. There are no wolves in the area of Blackrock Haven, only Blackrock Point."

"Perhaps the queen should go and clear it out ? Consider it a contract of sorts ?" Matthew said, "as part of her training, We all went through it, aside from being called upon in fights in the kingdom, and elsewhere, we're sent on contracts to advance our skills. Perhaps then we send Elsa on contract, but one of us go with her to ensure her safety, and the complete destruction of the Wolf Queen's lair ?"

Snowfeather and Blackmane readily agreed, but Mark seemed hesitant, he hated the idea of Elsa getting harmed in any manner. So he kept his mouth shut as there came a knock at the door. Going to it he answered it and a curior stepped in. "Ah, been looking all over the kingdom for you. Got a letter for you... from the queen herself, you must have friends in high places... that's it, got other stuff to deliver. Good day to you." with that the curioer left and Mark opened the letter.

"Well, what does it say Master Wolfe ?" If Elsa sent it, it had to be important. But why did she send it to Mark ?

"Cool your jets Michaels, I got a date with a very important lady." He folded up the letter and placed it in his pocket before leaving the room to get ready, it was nearing dinner time by then, all the history talk, and guilt talk of what he had done the night before was on his mind still. Had he done the right thing in asking for so much information from Elsa ? He barely knew her, yet, he was in experince, her elder. So to speak. Sure she was only twenty nine. But still. Having her go face off against the Wolf Queen ?

Snowfeather watched Mark leave to his room to begin to get ready. This was going to be rich for sure. As soon as Mark closed his bedroom door, Snowfeather turned to Matthew, "What was that all about ?" Apparently shje had not heard the entire conversation, but Blackmane still clued her in on some things. "Apparently Mark does not feel exactly up to this... date."

"He fears he did the wrong thing last night." Matthew said.

"And that was" Snowfeather pressed.

"When Elsa mentioned the Duke of Weselton last night, it set off questions that needed to be answered" Matthew replied, "Mark asked all the questions I was thinknig of asking. But knowing him, he asked in a much more gentle manner, whereas I would not have asked so gently for the information."

"So what Mark said was true, you have grown colder towards Elsa and her sister since taking her under your wing as a student in the Assassin arts." Snowfeather said thoughtfully. If Munku was there, things would be far easier by this point.

"You noticed too huh ?" Matthew said, it was true, he had grown cold towards Elsa, when at first she was overjoyed he was back in Arendelle, able to teach her and show her what she could do with her icey powers, help her master them, and then he took her on as a student in the Assassins. He'd grown colder towards her, harsher. And he never meant it. He paced. Finally nodding he said "It is true, I have grown colder towards Elsa, her learning, teaching her even speaking to her." He said.

He sighed, "I have fufilled my promise to her father in keeping her safe, I can do only so much by her side, teaching her to defend herself and use her powers as a weapon to fight with as an assassin I can only teach so far as with her there are scant few places I cannot join her." He said. He turned to Snowfeather. "Have you yet sword sworn to any ?"

"No, not for a long time. Why, what are you thinking ?" Snowfeather replied.

"Later this evening when you see Elsa as you normally do, swear your swords to her, you can protect her better than I ever can. A sword swear lasts ten years does it not ?" Matthew said.

"Twelve actually" Blackmane corrected. Snowfeather nodded.

"Then it works, by the time the twelve years are over, Elsa would have become an Assassin, but she is still the queen, so juggling such work will take strong doing on both her part and our own." Matthew said thoughtfully. "Plus there is the CIA to worry about, according to some wintry friends of mine, the Oslo branch is quite active lately in the last year."

"So we will only have to worry and contend for now with the CIA, until I find out more off the Wolf Queen and any indication of her current remains. There were some powerful necromancers recently active in the area trying to bind her spirit according to these books." Blackmane said, she moved towards her own room within the Arko District den. "Of course, these books were written nearly five thousand years ago when Queen Elena forbid all knowldedge of her mother to be made known or even written down, so it is possible that the Wolf Queen is long dead."

"I feel we should at least make sure that she is dealt with or truly dead. Either way it will give Elsa some more experience she will need later in life." Matthew said, he too then left the den, he had things to do. As he left the den the curiour found him and gave him a notice. Elsa wanted to speak with him about something important right away. He thanked the curiour and disapepared in a flurry of snowflakes. If Elsa sent him a note, he had to answer it.

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Throne Room**

 **Just before dinner**

Matthew arrived at the appointed location. It was most interesting to be honest that Elsa had chosen to meet him at the throne room, he'd been there only twice before. Both times when Elsa was a child. He had not been in there since she was nine or ten. When he first met her.

To be her teacher.

The memory hit him hard in the stomach, Mark was right, he had indeed grown cold towards Elsa while recently teaching her how to be a cold blooded killer as an Assassin, the poor girl at the time when he first met her was scared out of her wits because of her powers. And wore gloves to hide them.

 _"I am glad to see that you made it." Christophe said to Matthew as he stepped into the throne room. Matthew saw two other people in the room aside from the king and himself, One of them a young girl, who appeared quite scared and yet quite regal at the same time._

 _"Well, when one sends out a messege for one to teach another with certain icey gifts, I'm on the spot as quickly as I can be." Matthew replied to the King. The man smiled. Taking in matthew carefully he noted the silver hair, icey blue eyes, what looked like snowflakes in the mans eyes. But Matthew was more focused on the queen, giving her a bow and also to the Princess, Elsa._

 _For a long moment Christophe said nothing, finally he said to Matthew, "Walk with me a moment, Mr Michaels was it ?"_

 _"Of course, and yes, Matthew Michaels is my name." Matthew replied, he fell in step with King Christophe as the man lead him from the castle to the paraphets that went around the castle as a whole. As they walked Matthew could see that something troubled the king, so he ventured a question, a question asked only three years before. "Born with, or cursed ?"_

 _"Born with. But her powers are getting stronger, and so are her fears." Christophe then explained the accident that had occurred three years before. And what they've tried to do since to help Elsa gain better control. "I want only the very best for my daughters." He said._

 _"I can teach only so much of what I myself learned, but I will not teach of how I learned. How I learned my own powers compared with that of your daughter severely depends upon how she takes my teachings. And if she wants to learn." Matthew replied._

 _"My daughter is scared of what her powers could do, her fears keep her closed from everyone, even her sister. It breaks my wifes heart to see my family split apart." Christophe said thoughtfully. "I will pay you handsomely to teach my daughter to control her powers."_

 _"I will teach what I know of my own powers to your daughter, I will teach control as well. But, there is one thing that must be needed from your daughter." Matthew said, the king looked at him, "She must want to learn. That is all I require in return at this stage."_

 _"It was her that requested a teacher, I merely sent out the notice." Christophe replied. "You will have to speak with her about your condition. Should she accept, I can have a room readied for your use if you so wish it."_

 _"That wont be needed your highness." Matthew said, "I have a room at the Roughwater Inn for the duration of my stay in your fine kingdom. I merely require access to and from the castle as needed. For sometimes I may take your daughter out of the city gates to the wildnerness to teach her. Sometimes the woods are the best place to learn. Trust me."_

 _For a long moment Christophe did not speak, finally he nodded. "Very well, should Elsa want to learn from you, you have your lay of the land here. But there are certain locations within the castle, her bedroom for example, that are strictly offlimits to you. Do you understand ?"_

 _Matthew nodded "Initmately your highness. You can rest assured that I will not sneak into your daughters bedroom. I am not that kind of man." He replied calmly, "However, if it makes you less stressed and worried, you may have a guard or servant escort your daughter with me when we exit the kingdom to the woods for certain lessons." The king agreed to that thought, he then led the way back to the throne room where Elsa and Queen Idun were waiting._

The memory faded as foosteps sounded in behind him and Elsas voice broke the silence. "Been waiting long, Matthew ?" She asked him.

"No, not long at all." Matthew replied, in truth he'd only been there at the very most a minute or so. He turned towards her. She was in her most regal dress she had ever made. Or was it the same one as always ? He never did keep track of her outfits as long has he had been back. It seemed to him that she was either in her battle dress or her queens dress. But lately he noticed she was in her queens dress. Even when out hunting down templars and librating districts, and most recently, recruiting. "I take it you wanted to speak to me about something important ? Important enough to summon me here, to this room ?"

"Yes" Elsa said, she stood by the door, closing it behind her Matthew heard the telltale click of the doors lock clicking into place but he felt nor saw any snowmagic being placed upon the door either. Apparently Elsa trusted him enough as it was. But why summon him there ? "You remember why you were hired to teach me all those years ago ?"

"Only that you wanted a teacher with powers the same as your own." Matthew replied, quoting her word for word. "Did I do wrong in teaching you at the time ?" He asked her "If I recall properly, you wanted me to teach you what I could. You wanted to learn. But your mother and father. They thought differnetly about it did they not ?"

Elsa sighed, she had recently learned in her mothers journal of something her father had tried, and failed to do for her, find someone to remove her icey powers. He had tried, but it was her request at a teacher with powers like hers to teach her how to use them properly. That was how he had failed. But no, Elsa knew her father ment the best for her. Finally she said. "Father was terrified of my powers, even to go so far as to try and find a way, or person to strip them from me. But it was my request to find a teacher, someone with powers like mine, to teach me how to control them. You."

Matthew nodded, he remembered it all too well. Elsa had wanted to learn everything she was able, and even studied carefully in the library. But the king was terrified, Christophe had confided with him and Idun of what to do should Elsa ever lose control, or should they pass on before her learning was finished. Matthew had been carefully detailed in the accident that had occurred between both girls seven years before. "Your father wanted to do what he thought was best for you. Even if it meant to remove your powers." He said

Elsa crossed her arms over her chest and shivered, not because of the cold, but because of the thought of her without her icey powers. It was a horrifying thought to even try to comprehend! "But mother and I managed to change his mind into searching for a teacher, you. To help me. He relented when you arrived, but I recall that he had a guard accompany us to the woods when you taught me outside the castle."

"Yes" Matthew replied, "Your father thought me untrusting as I was ten years elder than you at the time. So I made a comprimise with him, if it had made him feel safer for you to have a servant or a guard well trained to keep an eye on things and made sure you learned when you were with me. It would work out. And it did. You wanted to learn what I could teach, that was all I required on your part and you filled it nicely at the time."

"But now ?" Elsa said. Giving Matthew a icey look

"But now what ?" Matthew replied, matching her stare.

"The last year you've distenced yourself from me. Ann noticed, as did I, I did more queenly duties, but. Now this whole thing. I asked you to be my teacher again, Matthew, we were once so very close, very good friends, you made me a promise and you kept it." Elsa said, "But you are not the same man you were before my parents passed away. Are you ?"

Her words hurt, but there was nothing he could say but apologise "Elsa, I am sorry. Before we left, your parents and I, your father came to me with a question. I agreed to go with them as both a witness and aid, and if it came to it, bodyguard. I made the promise to you that I would return and finish your teaching. But you seemed to have learned it on your own. Finished your own teaching so to speak." He said. He sighed and turned to the window, looking out over the kingdom. "Just before your father died he made me promise. A promise I have kept so far. Until last night."

"You mean Henri, Prince Hans brother ?" Elsa asked, Matthew nodded "He made no changes within my bedroom, I even checked it as I said with Blackmane and Snowfeather. Why are you worried ?"

"I worry that I may have failed your fathers last wish to me before he died. I swore to your father on his deathbed that I would protect you and Anna. And Henri in your room, clearly to set a trap to take you down unawares, broke that promise. I cannot be with you all the time. You need a sword sworn bodyguard until you're fully trained as an Assassin. But who that is to be I do not know. But it must be female. As there are only so many places I cannot go with you to." Elsa knew what he meant, her bedroom was one of those places. Of course as a child she thought it was because she was a Princess and him a commonor, her teacher. And thus thought it a method or force of habit that the bedrooms were private.

"Sword sworn ?" She asked him however, completely confused by the term. "What is that ?"

"It is what I became to your father in order to teach you." Matthew replied, "Your father did not trust me at first but your mother did. I did not know it at the time but Blackmane had been here before, long ago."

Elsa nodded "Yes, she was my great great great great grandmothers... saviour. Of sorts. I guess. Why ?"

"Blackmane was able to ensure your birth by protecting Queen Marissa, Blackmane as we both know, is female, and was able to sneak into your ancestors chambers unmolested to protect your own mother, and your mothers mother." Matthew said. "Your father wanted only the very best for you, even if it meant trying to find a way to remove your powers. Thankfully he did not have to go to that extreme."

Elsa nodded, "Thankfully." She rubbed her shoulders and shivered again, this time at the sheer thought of the cold nights bothering her when they formerly did not.

"Yes, thankfully, because of your request. You wanted a teacher, you even wrote the request, 'a teacher to teach someone importantly gifted'. You had written. I must admit I was not well versed in Kudzul to understand it at first." Matthew said. He smiled, "And so I came. And so you learned." He took a deep breath then and said "And then your parents passed away. And I was captured. But is in the past now." he regarded her, seeing her shiver at the thought of being without her powers. "Your father wanted to do what he thought best for you. But instead he chose to listen to your request for a teacher. I am personally glad he did."

"Yes" Elsa said, "I am too." She gave him a look, a look he knew too well. "So now what ? You are still teaching me but; you've distenced yourself from me, from Anna, and when we do speak you are terse, sterner, more... reserved, less, outgoing." She was at a loss for words, when he spoke up.

"So I have been told." He said, "Is that why you wanted to speak to me in private before your... date with a mutual friend of ours ?" he asked her.

Elsa nodded, "Yes, I wanted to ask you, why ? What was it that caused our... seperation, we were close friends while you taught me, and now after once more taking me under your teachings. You seem, less..."

"Less happier around you than I used to be ?" Elsa just nodded Matthew nodded as well "I understand what you are thinking Elsa, What happened to your father and mother I can only blame myself for what occurred. I never break a promise made. I kept that promise until Henri showed up in your room last night." Elsa just looked at him. "I am sorry, since teaching you the Assassin Arts I have indeed become more focused on my work over your well being in your learnings. Yet you've thrown yourself at the contracts I give to you, you've recruited several assassins to our cause. To _your_ cause." There was something in his tone, pride. "It just makes me overjoyed to see that you are gaining so much experience, and hoping to regain your kingdom, But you have a long way ahead of you. You're an assassin in training, at this moment a warrior of sorts. You've still a ways to go before you are even a first ranked Assassin. Much less a Den Master"

"I'm the queen" Elsa said to him, he nodded. "So den master or not, I oversee everything," She said stepping right up to him to look him dead in the eye. "Even you." She said, though she had a impish look to her eyes as the door opened and Kai stepped in with a missiv. "Yes Kai ?"

"My Queen, Master Michaels, your guest has arrived, he awaits you in the library." Kai said to Elsa with a brief nod in greeting to Matthew.

"Thank you Kai I will see him in a moment." Elsa said, or rather started to say as Matthew cut her off.

"Actually you should see to him now. I have things I must attend to, and Elsa, I will try in the future to be more... focused on your well being over my level of work and teaching." Matthew said, he followed Kai out of the castle as Elsa watched him leave the throne room she briefly recalled that first meeting they'd ever had. Her father had indeed wanted to try and find a way to remove her powers, but in the end he relented when she convinced him she wanted a teacher.

With that happy thought on her mind she left the throne room and headed for the castle library. Surely Mark had not been kept waiting, after all the library held all manner of books within it. Little did she realise just how into a library Mark could be at times.

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Library**

 **Dusk**

The Dinner bell rang across the kingdom as Elsa opened the doors to the library and stepped in, closing them behind her. The fire was brightly lit, eluminating the room brightly, many candles were also lit along the massive glass chandlier she had recreated after accidently breaking parts of the library roof in the Great Blizzard seven years before. Rebuilt in places with ice for walls and ceiling to let in the natural light of both the starlit sky and the sunlit days.

She saw Mark standing at a table, on it was a map of Arendelle showing the North mountain, marked in Kudzul, Mark easily made out the North Mountain, and a beautifully drawn palace on it apparently. Elsa saw him reading the map carefully, almost as if he was trying to memorise every crevice and rock drawn on it in great detail. She smiled, he had let his guard down only briefly. She was barefoot and stepped forwards quietly. Onfortunately he must have heard her because he spoke up. "You're learning better than expected." He looked up from the map, his back to her "But there was one thing to remember that you may have forgotten, though briefly. Regulate your breathing, its not easy to remember; I mostly forget it at times myself." He was obviously not expecting her but Snowfeather or Blackmane.

Elsa smirked and replied. "Been waiting long ?"

Marks eyes went wide. _Elsa! Impossible!_ He set the map down and twirled around to face her. He stared only briefly. "That was you ?" He asked while pointing at the closed library doors behind her, she just smiled and nodded. His heart hammered in his chest so loud he could have sworn she heard it. "Well, I'll be honest I was not expecting to be lead to your library, I was thinknig that for a dinner with you, alone, as your message to me stated; I had thought you wanted me to meet you within the dining room ?"

"Dining room, at the moment, is a bit too formal for a first date." Elsa replied with a soft smile. She stepped up to the table and pointed out her ice palace "Tomorrow morning my sister and I along with Olaf and Kristoff. I spoke with Blackmane briefly, and she said something of taking two more along to make sure things stay safe. I do it yearly, but this is the first time I really had to worry of danger out there." She said.

"From what I understand, and have witnessed the last year. You handle yourself well in combat." Mark replied, he was dangerously close to her and he knew it, and it made him nervous, slightly so at that. He tried to relax. But he was nervous. "I do not think you need to worry."

"I think, for the moment, otherwise, I want you and Snowfeather to come with us. I made extra rooms in my Ice Palace and I requested Gerda and Kai to make the needed preperations tonight into tomorrow for a week long stay." Elsa said, at Marks sudden move to speak she raised a hand, a finger to his lips "Now don't say no, I'm sure Matthew or Blackmane will welcome the week off from you and Snowfeather to begin with. In fact consider it a personal contract on my part, you and Snowfeather, come with me, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven for a week to my Ice Palace." Elsa said to him.

"Uh... well that... that is to say... I... I don't know what to say. If it is a contract, by you instead of Matthew or Blackmane..." Mark stuttered at the thoughts going througth his head at that moment, and the fact that Elsa was the one touching him at that moment. "And its a contract I don't really feel right in taking to be honest."

"Then consider it more of a request. Rather than a contract" Elsa said. "You and Snowfeather, spend a week with I and my sister and her fiance at my Ice Palace, honestsly it'd make me happier to have someone new this time. New faces so to speak." Elsa explained.

"Alright, to that extent I don't see how I can refuse. How can I refuse anything from the Queen, you. So, yes, I'll come along, I'll also inform Snowfeather of the plan and extend your invitation to her as well. Is there anything we should bring along with us ?" Mark said

Elsa shook her head "Kai and Gerda will leave after dinner to see to it that everything is provided for at my palace." She said, She then turned and went to the door, opening the double doors she saw Kai outside The man waited with two servants carrying food. She stepped aside allowing them in. Kai directed the two servants to set up the food on the table as Mark cleared it enough to place the food upon it.

On the table was placed three different kinds of meat, deer, moose and what looked like elk but was hard to tell fully on what kinds of meat was exactly placed on the table. Another plate had four differnet kinds of cheeses, and lastly, a bottle of Arendelle wine was also placed on the table as well with two glasses poured and devided between them properly by Kai himself before the man, at Elsas request, took the wine bottle with him.

Two chairs were brought to the table, allowing the two to sit and enjoyy themselves. Kai set a few more logs onto the fireplace, the fire roared brightly, merely lighting up the room rather than heating it at the moment. Mark found himself oddly relaxed, the smell of the meat was on his mind and the fact that Elsa was across the narrow table from him. The map of Arendelle was to one side of them. And yet, Elsa asked him a question that weighed on his mind some time before.

And she asked him the same question again. "When you first arrived here, you said you were from another realm, or place, called, Egypt was it ?" Of course how she pronounced it made it sound like Edgewhipe, whatever that place was, it might have just been her accent screwing it up, yet, the question itself was well worth the asking it. "What is it like ?"

Mark thought in silence for a moment before answering. "Well, in the summer it gets very warm, and yet where I lived before coming here on summons; there are many trees, no snow, sadly, but lots of sand. Lots of sand indeed. Though I will admit, along the waters edge, the sand is quite beautiful." Elsa felt eyes on her and looked up briefly and saw him looking towards her briefly before his eyes fell on the map, or rather the drawing of her ice palace. Rather than keep it just a drawing she made a perfectly detailed model of it right there on the map out of ice.

It was seeing that model grow before his very eyes in the castle library did Mark mentally tell himself to begin thinking of what he was going to do with his future. What did he really want for his future ? He had originally wanted to become a Den Master of an Assassin Den, like Matthew had become in America. But now, after seeing Elsas powerful magic growing a model of her ice palace on their table between them. He found himself suddenly quite conflicted.


	11. Seqeunce 3 Memory 4

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Sequence 3**_

 _ **Memory 4: A Song of Ice and Fire**_

 **16 May 2051**

 **Arendelle**

 **North Mountain Pass**

 **Elsa's Ice Palace**

 **Late morning**

"Simply amazing" Mark whistled. Now he knew he was in complete awe at what he was going through. The night before as his First meeting the queen for dinner, alone, just him and her, man was he tongue tied at that initial dinner, but after she warmed up to him, he managed to relax and enjoy it. Now even Snowfeather was with them, along with Olaf, Sven, Kristoff and Anna, all packed for a week at Elsa's beautifully crafted ice palace.

"Now that's ice" Snowfeather said, it made Kristoff smile. He'd said the same thing when he first saw the place.

Elsa opened the door, well, the doors opened as she neared them, allowing them all to enter. As she stepped in the seemingly dull colors of the ice palace brightned almost instantly as she set foot inside. It was set up into three parts originally, at least until the Dukes Men had shown up. Elsa had rebuilt the ice chandiler piece by piece, as well as the north balcony and south balcony. She even added two more bedrooms, one for Kristoff, the other for Anna, In fact her own room had no doors, nor did Annas, but the walls were frosted and thick enough that one could not see through them.

Elsa smiled at Marks words, when she told him about it the first time only five days before he refused to believe it at first until she made a model, then he wanted to see the thing in person. That was enough to get and keep his attention. "I am glad you like it, when I first built it, I did not know what I was truly able to do with my powers. And now I even added more rooms too, one for both of you. I already had my own bedroom upstairs, but I added two more for Anna and Kristoff. There's no doors between any of the rooms. But the walls are thick enough to prevent prying eyes." the only doors she had on the place where the ones to keep the heat inside the ice palace.

"I cried the first time I saw it" Kristoff admitted, and he did, and Anna never judged him for it either. It was so expertly designed that Kirstoff just cried at the pure beauty of what Elsa had made at the time. It made Elsa smile at that thought, seven years ago she had made this place, and Kristoff still cried when he saw it as it was so beautiful.

Of course two days after thawing out the kingdom Elsa had requested some time alone and went back to her ice palace to clean it up and repair anything that was broken. The first thing she fixed was the chandiler. Then the balcony doors. And then lastly, the railings. She even added a pair of extra bedrooms, one for Anna, and one for Kristoff and Sven. "Yes" Elsa said softly, "And we don't judge even if you do it now" Of course Kirstoff instantly dried off his face before Elsa looked in his direction.

Elsa took Mark by the hand as Kai came in behind them with the food and supplies they'd need for the week. Anna was a good cook sure, but still. Kai made sure everything was in readiness before leaving to care for the kingdom for a week down below in the valley. "Come on, let me show you around. You too Snowfeather." She said, Elsa pretty much dragged Mark with her as she headed for the dining room through the doorway under the twin stairs leading to a landing which then lead up in two different directions from there.

Mark was not expecting Elsa to drag him through her ice palace. Hell he was not even expecting to be invited on the weeklong trip to the place as it was. He was thinknig he'd be sent out on contracts or liberating districts the afternoon before. But no, the only contract he had was to protect Elsa in Matthews stead. That was what he and Snowfeather were told carefully, protect Elsa. Mark was then given the reason of why.

Prince Hans and the Duke of Weselton both had listed a bounty on Elsas head. The only problem was, they were releasing the bounty to local bandit camps. And there were three of them below the Ice Palace to begin with as it was! Which meant that even though Mark accepted Elsas invitation to stay a week with her and Anna, along with Snowfeather, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven, at the ice palace. It was originally to be a week of just relaxtion in the beauty of the North Mountains. Nothing more, nothing less. And yet, this is why he was there, Snowfeather had tracked on ahead of the group to ensure there was no ambushes set for them, and there were none. Thankfully so.

With Snowfeather on the job ahead of them, and Mark with Elsa and her sister as it was. It was actually a lot easier than he originally thought it to be. Upon seeing the majestic Ice Palace alone Mark was awestruck. It was just simply amazing. And to be shown around within it made it ever more breath taking. Heck just to be touched by Elsa alone was breathtaking, her skin was soft against his own sunbleached skin.

It made Mark slightly nervous for Elsa to actually be dragging him through her ice palace, seemingly axious to show him what she had built with her powers, yet, after being shown the beautifully crafted dining room, front entry and fountain; along with the rear south facing balcony. He found himself relaxing.

Finally he was brought to her own bedroom. Everything was made of ice, from the rug, which looked like a flat snowdrift, to the blankets on the icey bed. So perfectly crafted. So breathtakingly beautiful was everything she was showing him. He was awestruck as she lead him into her bedroom. Each room merely had a doorframe of expertly crafted and carved. The walls were thick enough that they were frosted perfectly to not even allow the briefest of shadows to get through.

Elsa let go of Marks arm as they entered her bedroom, "Well, what do you think ?" She asked, she had stepped further into the room and spread her arms, proud of what she had made seven years before.

"I will admit one thing. Your magic is very beautiful." Mark replied, his eyes took in everything, making sure the room was safe naturally. Hell, he had yet to be in Elsas bedroom back in Arendelle as it was! And here she was showing him her room in the Ice Palace. Somehow he felt safe that her parents were dead. Even though it hurt him mentally to think in such a manner. He just was unable to help but think that. Hell the guards would have harmed him had Elsa not dragged him there herself!

"Thank you." Elsa said, a soft smile on her face, "All my life I never knew what I was able to do with my powers. At least until I fled Arendelle seven years ago" She had told him the entire story, how she had accidently froze her own kingdom only scant moments after being crowned queen; that same night and most of the following day she had built her Ice Palace on the west face of the North Mountain.

Mark nodded, "Yes, you told me last night, out of fear you fled to here. Choosing to stay here and keep yourself safe. Building your own home with mere thought. I must admit, I never would have believed the stories we heard in Egypt of, how do I say this without insulting or offending you in any manner." Mark said thoughtfully. Finally he knew what to say "Ah yes, A Mythic Woman, able to use magic of the Frost. Of unsurpassed beauty." He said.

"There were stories about me ?" Elsa asked, clearly surprised at Marks words, even though some stories were of a monster or powerful sorceress living in the North Mountain Range, the stories were just that, stories, sure she had power, but she also had knowledge on her side as well.

"Not were, are." Mark corrected slightly, "There are stories about you. Or rather, the locals version of you. They've never met you, so naturally, they make up stories, some of the stories are actually pretty steeped in mythic study. Others are merely pure conjecture. Based on rumor and word of mouth you see." Mark explained. "One of those stories spoke of a powerful sorceress living in the Northern Mountains, basically evertywhere my compass aims is south at this point though. So I'd assume we're at the North Pole ?"

Elsa smiled. She liked Mark, he was a nice well versed man. The night before he had enthralled here with his stories of Egypt and the Assassin's there. "Most of those stories are more the truth then some realise. Or would want to remember" Elsa said softly, in all honestly such stories calling her a monster and witch were just that, stories. Nothing more. But there were some stories that actually respected her as a person, not a monster. And those were the local stories as Mark explained one legend told the children of a beautiful young queen that ruled a wonderful kingdom and could make beautiful creations out of snow and ice.

"Hey, relax, OK, Some of those stories they tell to kids before they go to bed at night. Me, when I was first told the stories, at least a few of them, I found many of them were changed up, some made you seem evil, others made you more or less misunderrstood, but almost all of them ended the same, love thaws the frozen heart." Mark said, "It made me a bit confused when I read, and found more of the same story, just told by different writers with different... flavors for the story as a whole. All in all, each story spoke of a lengedary woman, you. Or someone like you there was a story called The Wolf Queen, nine volumes, but that was an old Egyptian tale from ages ago. Quite the good read I'll say that"

Elsa merely smiled, "Come on, lets go meet up with the others in the dining room downstairs. I am sure they're hungry. That is, unless you want to see more of the palace. After all it is your first time here"

Mark didn't know what to say in answer to her., he actually did want to see more. But not of the ice palace, he wanted to see more of her, but he kept his thoughts to himself, the ideas floating in his head. Instead he merely offered his arm. Saying "I think it would be wise for me to know the lay of the land, so to speak." he said, Elsa smiled, slid her arm into his, and the two went deeper into the ice palace.

 **Arendelle**

 **North Mountain Pass**

 **Bandit Campsite**

 **Late afternoon**

The jeep came to a halt; Hans stepped out of the passenger side while his brother stepped out of the driverside. "This is the place." Brad said, He pointed towards a nearby fire well lit and cared men stood near it keeping watch as the jeep arrived. One steped closer towards them as Brad called out. "Templars with news, Where's your chieftian ?"

"In the main tent, he'll be out in a minute. What do you got ?" Brad handed over a fake wanted poster.

"We stopped at two other bandit camps on our way here, none of them wanted to go after the girl we seek. We want her alive and only long enough to force a deal." Brad replied, Hans smiled, letting his older brother do the talking was better than letting him do the talking, hence the complete whiping out of the other two bandit camps at the time.

"You want this girl alive, good luck, she's upstairs." The bandit pointed up the cliff. "A good thousand or so feet upstairs in fact." The bandit smiled, the payment offer was substanital indeed. Well worth the effort he assumed. "When do you want her ? How do you want her ?"

"We will speak with your chieftian first. In the mean time, we use these" Hans withdrew a packet of sleeper darts and revealed them to the bandit. Who then identified himself as Jarvi.

"Sleeper darts; you want the woman alive. For questioning ? Or for ransom elsewhere ?" Jarvi replied

"Both, in a way." Hans replied. He snickered, realising that Jarvi was the leader of this merry band of misfits.

"Do tell." Jarvi replied, revealing himself then as the leader of that bandit camp. He was rather interested by the possiblity of money gained in this venture. "of what it is you want my men and I to do for you."

"I need a few of you to storm the ice palace, just as night falls, even in complete darkness the ice palace is brightly lit is it not ?" Jarvi nodded. "Good, use these to set off a small collapse under the rear balcony of the ice palace above, Elsa from what I hear tell, stands on it to watch the sunset and the northlights play on the skies above before going to bed. Am I correct ?" Again the bandit leader nodded. Hans continued. "Good, then it is settled, use this, you got one shot, nail her anywhere on her body, and she's asleep for the next ninety six hours."

"Four days." Jarvi replied, "Is there something important about those four days of her, being out as you plan" Jarvi gave Hans a look, "You want me to send my men to her ice palace to storm it, to distract those inside while a true trap is laid to entrap her properly down below. Why ? What do you plan ?"

"Because we need her for something important." Hans replied before his brother could spill the beans and ruin it like the last two times. "Let me put it this way, you get her knocked out with one of these and in our hands afterwards" He held up the packet of sleeper darts "And there's gold in it for you. Deal ?"

"Deal. I'll inform my men to ready the trap. We have guns with good sights to use, sleeper guns, air guns, all of them silent and well aimed. Pick one of them and We'll get ready for tonights party" Jarvi replied, "Make yourselves to home by the fire if you wish, I wont be long."

Hans and Brad did just that, As they sat beside the fire, Brad spoke "So we've a way to get our queen." He said.

"No, not queen, woman, that is all Elsa is, just a woman, with a title, a falsly given title, at that." Hans corrected his brother, "You see, I doubt very much that the people of Arendelle would notice a change in leadership; we capture Elsa, the only way to get free is to hand over the queenship, the kingdom, to me. Then she goes free and clear into the sunset. Leaving me king and you my royal advisor"

Brad chuckled, "What makes you think that she'll go with it ?"

"After four days of being tied up in the cabin we passed on the way here. Cornered, nowhere to go. The only way out of the cabin is to hand over the kingdom to me, and then I let her walk out on her own two feet as if I never had her in my own grasp." hans said, "Its that simple."

"What if she wont give it over ?" Brad asked

"I force her to make a choice, give over the kingdom; or live in that cabin forever as our prisoner. A simple choice she'll have to make no ?" Hans said, it was the perfect plan he had thought on during their drive from Weselton to the ice palace location.

"No, to me it will be more like the one choice she will have to severely think carefully on. You might end up waiting a long time to get an answer from her." Brad pointed out.

"True, I might, but I will have her cornered into either handing me the kingdom, or living forever in that room, unable to leave as long as she is calling herself the queen." Hans said

"You're a Templar, little brother. And yet here you are planning a simpl game for a not so simple queen. Why ?"

"Because at this moment, those four days, I will search for her Piece of Eden; the one that her sister has... rescued, of a sort. And when I give her the choice, and when I give her the chance to make her choice, I'll have it active. Making, forcing her to chose to give me the kingdom in order to gain her freedom." Hans replied, "That is why we have her locked up in the cabin for four days. During those four days we search for her piece of eden, and then use it against her."

Brad smiled "Ah; so that is the plan. Where shall we then search ?"

"We, you and I, wont search, we, my dear brother, will remain at the cabin with our guest when we get her in our grasp. Walter and Brian however will search for the POE in Arendelle." Hans said, Brad nodded, he liked that plan. He liked it a lot. Five minutes later and Jarvi returned, his men were ready, and the trap was about to be set.

 **Arendelle**

 **North Mountain Pass**

 **Elsa's Ice Palace**

 **Evening**

Dinner was served promptly at six that evening, of course by then it was nearly dark and yet, it was beautiful at night within the ice palace. So vibrant and full of life. Everyone was happy and it was a good tasting meal, three different kinds of meat, Mark noticed, just like the night before in the library. Only this time there were seven different kinds of cheeses, plus five more additional kinds of bread, and there was no wine to be had. Apparently Elsa never drank up there. Or it was too cold as the water was amazingly refreshing.

Mark marveled at the design of the dining room, the table, everything. The snow flake pattern was visible clearly everywhere he looked, the walls were frosted and cool to the touch yet inside the beautiful ice palace the place was very warm. Everyone was happy, and that was what counted the most he surmised. He had never seen Elsa that happy go lucky in the almost a year since he'd arrived in Arendelle to begin with. And yet here she was, enjoying time with her sister and friends, just the five of them... well seven actually if one included the talking snowman and reindeer. Mark still was slightly nervous around Olaf, but he slowly was getting used to the talking snowman. But it was taking a while.

Dinner passed slowly, questions were asked to him and Snowfeather concerning meals and what Egypt was like, most of the questions concerning Egypt were from Elsa. With some of them from Kristoff who wondered how anyone could live in a location so warm. Of course Mark was writing between bites of wonderrful food, and the questions, in his journal. It was in arabic however. So only Snowfeather could understand any of it if at all.

With dinner soon done and the plates cleared away and the food that was left safely stored for the next day. Elsa took her leave and went out onto the rear balcony, out of impulse alone Mark followed, though Snowfeather watched from afar, she could see only so much. Mark however stayed near the door and watdched as Elsa watched the sunset and the northern lights played upon the sky.

It was then that all hell broke loose.

First it was anna, screaming something about a bandit in the kitchen, which was partly true and mostly... well true as there was indeed a bandit in the kitchen, dead on the floor thanks to Anna whacking the guy clean in the face with a frying pan. Elsa was about to roll the body over when shouts rang out from the front room. More bandits. "Spread out, buy be careful, we need only one shot at this!" Looking to her sister and friends, they got the message and pretty much melted into the background. Let Elsa handle it, she had the best footing on the icey floor.

Moving swiftly and silently as she could Elsa flicked her wrist and snowflakes flickered into view. Snaping her wrist out as if she were throwing a snowball or just flicking a snowflake away, the snowflake shot from her hand and struck a bandit dead in the face. Sending him to the floor with a crack as his neck broke.

Elsa took two steps into the front room, the fountian flowed with powdered snow. She heard the crack of heavy footsteps behind her and flicked her wrist as she felt a hand grab at her from behind. With a fast move of her head she clocked the man with the back of her head dead in the nose, forcing him to let her go. Her vision blurred slightly but she let it pass and moved swiftly enough that the man was dead before he hit the ground. A snowflake lodged in his neck.

Then it became a scene of complete chaos.

One second she was taking down bandits that had suddenly broke into her ice palace, the next thing she knew, part of the palace rear balcony broke apart under their feet and crumbled towards the fjord three hundred meters below. Mark scrambled and grabbed the ledge with his right hand, the iduradaeden/i gauntlet gripping the ice tightly. While Elsa in turn grabbed his outstreched left hand as the floor of the rear eastern balcony fell away. Above them Snowfeather and Anna grabbed Mark by the hand to pull him up who then inturn focused on bringing up Elsa with him.

Mark could see she was barefoot again. He could also see a little more than he'd wanted at that point, because the angle was straight down. Man, even in a really dire situation Elsa was drop dead gorgeous, it was what made it so hard for Mark to focus at that moment on her hands holding onto him because his view at that moment was dead down the front of her dress. It was next to impossible not to look directly down it.

With her being barefoot once again, Mark presumed that she really hated shoes. He made no mention of it however as her grip started to slide on his arm, forcing him to also try not to shift his own grip lest she fall three hundred meters to the waters below in the fjord. "Don't you dare let go!" Mark said, As soon as he was up enough onto the ice above Snowfeather grabbed him hard and started pulling while Anna tied a rope around his waist. Which then allowed Mark to let go with his right hand and use both hands to hold onto Elsa who dangled below him.

"What makes you think I want to ?" Elsa cried out in reply to Mark as she adjusted her grip on his arm. Terrified of the sounds of water far below her. The cold never bothered her to begin with. But that water, the rushing rough very loud dangerous water. iThat/i terrified her at that moment! And she dangled above it. Her brilliant light sapphire and silvery green dress tangled around her feet as her cape whipped in the wind. She felt something hit her in the foot, causing it to numb and lose feeling within a heartbeat, "Pull me up!" Elsa cried out as she felt something hit her again, this time dead between the shoulders at the base of her spine. Suddenly it was hard for her to focus. She felt really sleepy all of a sudden. Her grip went slack and she felt herself falling.

As Mark started to pull Elsa up to get a better grip with both hands something landed in the rope that Anna had tied around his waist. He stared at it, tranq darts! "Snowfeather, cover now!" Mark shouted out

"But what about Elsa!" Snowfeather said, Mark cut her off with a sharp shake of his head.

"Go, I got her; get Anna to safety!" Mark said, he jerked on the rope as he felt Elsas grip suddenly go slack as a dart landed dead between her shoulderblades. His hands scarmbled for a better grip on her own hands and wirsts, but it was too late. Elsa slipped from his grip and plummeted three hundred meters into the roaring fjord below. "ELSA!" Mark shrieked as she disappeared into the fog below. The darts stopped as Elsa was hit. He'd just lost his second date. And he was sure that Anna was going to kill him for losing Elsa to the Fjord three hundred meters below.

Down below on the fjord side looking up at the now crumbling ice palace, a man smileed and crowed out as he hit his target "Got her!" Said one of the bandits, Hans smiled. Perfect. It took him a week to get to the camp on horseback. But he made it work out as hoped, if not better than hoped initially.

"Good, she's out ?" Hans asked; If they'd manage to actually knock out Elsa and keep her asleep for a few hours, then they'd be all set. They'd be almost back to Weselton by time she woke up. But then Hans changed the plan, they were going to stay in a nearby cabin he'd come across on his way there and wait for the Duke to join them.

"Yeah she's out, and... there she falls." Said Jarvi. He watched as Elsa fell from far above and landed in the fjord as planned with a horrific and powerful splash. The bandits and Hans men stood at the fjord edge and looked out where Elsa hit the water among the ice.

Hans watched her slender beautiful form as she fell from far above and hit the water hard with a splash. "If she is dead or if she is wounded in any way, you are all dead. Understand ?" Hans growled. The bandits all nodded. Selecting one of their members, the group searched along the fjord edgeline for Elsa in the water.

Above the Fjord Mark was pulled onto the more solid part of the ice palace by Anna and Sven as Kristoff tied off the rope on the nearby pillar and grabbed his hand to get him to his feet. Snowfeather knew the method to the madness and cast her own ice to repair what was damaged so they'd have a railing around them to look over. Mark went to the side and looked over the edge. "I'm going after her" He said, already starting to strip his overrobe. It was already freezing cold.

Anna put up a hand to his shoulder, effectively stopping him in mid movement "No wait, you wouldn't survive the drop, that's freezing cold, if not colder, water down there. You wouldn't survive even if you made it to the bottom. The cold doesn't bother my sister, but it could kill you by time you got to the bottom." She said to him.

Mark looked distressed, yet Anna's calm demanour and apparently wise advice however made him slightly confused, so, as calmly and as nicely as he could he asked her "Ok, You're right." Anna had a point, it was indeed cold, "What do suggest then, Princess Anna ?"

Anna saw that all eyes, aside from Olaf, Marshmellow and Sven were on her, so she said simply, "We go after those that raided us to keep us busy. I think that Elsa was their target, not us, so we go after them, they'll lead us straight to her." Anna said, a plan on the spot, sometimes they worked, most of the time they didn't.

Mark nodded, "Alright, I can work with that. I'll meet you at the foot of the stairs out front. I'm going to see if I can pinpoint where she landed, hopefully in the fjord, we can get to her quicker." Three hundred foot drop, forget twenty feet of fresh powder at the bottom, what you'd want for that is at the very least fifty feet. In truth Mark wanted privacy to call out a certain friend.

Anna nodded and with Kristoff they went to get their gear, Anna had recently begun training with a bow, and had gotten quite good at it. She was also very skillful with a pair of ice daggers Elsa had made for her. Kristoff on the other hand stuck with his ice pick and a very nicely made trifork that most ice harvestors used to move ice around.

With them gone and out of hearing range, Mark whistled a few notes. A massive brown and white eagle flew into view and looked around carefully before screeching and alighting on the ice railing, Ulnaus amber eyes darted around, Where was Elsa ? Where was the Queen ? The masisve eagle cawed out. Mark matched the screeching and pointed downwards, towards the fjord three hundred feet below. Mark spoke to the eagle "Ulnaus! Find Elsa, do not let her out of your sight! Make sure she is safe! GO!" At those words the eagle cried again and dove towards the fjord three hundred feet below.

As soon as Ulnaus was out of sight, Mark turned, grabbed up his sword, and took off for the front doors to the massive ice palace. Man this day just got better and better.

Meanwhile at the fjordside down below the beautiful Ice Palace. The group of bandits moved through the broken trees and moved broken ice looking for their prey. "She can't have floated too far. The cold does not bother her from what we hear tell." Jarvi said as the group of bandits searched along the edge of the fjord.

A shout went up further ahead and deeper into the rushing waters. "I see her" The bandit cried out, he pointed, Elsa had sunk into the water briefly upon landing but now she'd floated back near the surface. Ice flaked off her still form in the water, her dress and cape soaked through as she floated. Amazingly she was still breathing. Unhindered whatsoever by the deadly cold waters.

"Well, grab her and get her out of there before she gets to the falls!" Hans shouted out pointing downfjord. Working as a full group the bandits and the Templars both hauled Elsa out of the fjord to the snowbank they stood upon. Even when dry she was a deadweight when asleep. But soaking wet as she was in her beautiful silvery greenish blue dress and sheer cape only added to that weight.

Hans went over and checked her breathing, if she was dead, all the bandits died, but thankfully when he put two fingers to her nose and picked off a few pieces of ice he felt her hot breath on his fingers. "alright, she's alive. No signs of any frost damage or trauma. And based on the fact that the sleeper dart is drained, she's dead to te world for our desired amount of time; Is the cabin ready ?"

"Cabin ? I was not aware of a cabin to be made ready. Were we not to take her to Weselton ?" Jarvi replied, "After all, Dawn on the fourth day we can either give her another dose, or we could just simply let her wake up in Weseltons not so nice and clean jailcells ?"

"Wont be needed, we only need her captive for a few days, three at the most after she wakens." Hans said. He stood up, "There is a cabin not far from here, we'll tie her up in there. Make sure to use the firerope." Firerope was a recently invented hot to the touch rope that prevented anything cold from breaking it. None of them bothered to dry her off as one of the more burly of the bandits grunted and picked her up. Elsas limp form draped over one shoulder, she didn't even react as Hans closed her seemingly sightless brilliant sapphire eyes.

Within five minutes Elsa was nonetoonicely dumped onto a bed inside a three bedroom cabin. Tied up with the firerope, and then the door carefully locked on the outside with six different locks, even if Elsa did manage to wake up within ninety six hours, she'd never get out of that firerope. But they doubted that would happen, they only needed three days as it was. And Elsa was going to be out for four days at the most.

Hans had the door locked and the keys given to his brother Brad. "I want a guard posted at each window, two at the doors. Armed with sleep darts." Hans ordered; should she waken and try to get free, knock her back out. Besides, Hans thought, the firerope never left marks on anything, and it was simply hot to the touch, and if Elsa tried to use her icey powers to get herself free, well, she'd get badly burned.

Hans turned to two of the bandits. "You two, guard this door, if she tries to esacpe, knock her out again." He said, the to men nodded and took up their posts. "You three with me, we're going to Arendelle to find that Piece."

 **18 May**

 **Arendelle**

 **North Mountain Pass to Road to Oslo**

 **Predawn**

 **CIA RV 322 enroute to the North Mountain from Oslo**

"You're sure we're headed in the right direction ?" Marcus Gray asked. Sent by his boss, Morshank back in America, the CIA wetwork agent was paired off, sadly, with Oslos very own tourist mangante that kept the rank and file in Oslo well enough to be noticed. And yet, all Marcus was noticing was that Steven was a man steeply locked into local lore and legends and stories. His knowledge of the area was what put him with the American team to begin with and it was his knowledge that drove Marcus nuts at the same time. Not that it was a bad thing at least, but Steven was spouting nonsense about a powerful sorceress or some such that lived in the area they were to look out for and treat with respect.

Marcus went over things carefully in his head, there was his second in command, Barnabas Greely, then his two support men, Known as The Twins. Thomas and Daris White, and then his three taskforce members assigned to the team by his boss. Michael Green, Jack Walsh, and James Stonehand. Each man was skilled in dreamsharing, and ontop of that, skilled in other ways within the dream.

Jack was chosen because of his ability to make a fake front and work from there within the dream, his methods were unorthodox, but they got the job done. Marcus asked no questions of Jacks methods; as long as the job was done he was happy.

James was chosen because of his skill with firearms and architexture within dreams and buildings alike. It was scary at times to even think of such things. James was the go to man for the layout of a dream of any kind.

Barnabas was a good point man, he could keep tabs on projections within the dream extremely well; and point out trouble spots well before they occur. Which was why Marcus chose Barnabas because he was also not easy to recognise as well. Marcus liked Barnabas due to his skills in side a dream.

Thomas was a proper guard type of agent, he did research, connected within and without of the dream world, he also kept control of the dreamshare devices in his or his bothers hands at all times. Providing research information on people met up with within the dream world.

Daris was the maker of the dreamshare device the teams used, mostly within the dream he dreamed the location of the next one to get into the dream of their target within the dream in order to steal secrets or plan fake secrets or otherwise. Daris was also a master with maps.

And that brought Marcus back to the present and the rambling of their drive, Thomas Stevens. A man who knew the local area so well that he was paired with them, but not only did he know the local area and the country of Norway, he also knew a bit too much of the local lore. "Will you stop spouting off on legends for the moment and focus" Marcus growled. "How much further to Arendal ?"

"Arendelle" Stevens corrected him. Marcus threw him a look. "The kingdom is named Arendelle. And most of the legends concern the city, its outlaying villages, and also much of its people and its leadership. Which is what I was explaining, if we come across a woman who is both beautiful and skilled with snow and ice. We mus be respectable towards her. The legends say she's a very powerful sorceress of some kind"

"When we come across her, if we come across her, how will we know ?" Marcus asked

"Easy, mostly in how she dresses, the constant flakes of ice and snow around her person, among other things are also her crystal clear sapphire eyes, and pale skin with nearly icewhite hair." Stevens replied as he pulled off the paved road onto a logging road that ran through the mountains. He parked on a realitively level area and turned the massive rig around. "Oh and she'll most likely be knee deep in snow too"

"That was very informative Stevens, thank you. Now shut up and stick with this rig while we go further up the logging road. According to the satalite imagery there should be a settlemkent not far from here in a westward direction." Marcus stood up and got into his winter gear as the rest of the team did the same. "Go heavy duty men, this wont take long, but its gallbasting cold outside." The men suited up for heavy winter weather and then quickly left the RV. They had a target to capture.

 _thirty minutes later_

 _Outside the cabin holding Elsa within it_

The team of six men fanned out, there were three dozen men in the area guarding the cabin. With silenced weapons each bandit fell like a sack of grain before being searched carefully. One of them had the key to the cabin.

The door was unlocked and the team stormed in. A statacco of silenced gunfire rang out in soft pops. Allowing the team to continue their search. One came to a heavily locked door and they unlocked each padlock before wrenching the door open. Inside there was a woman laying on the only bed in the room. Tied with red tinted rope, the woman Marcus could see, was drop dead beautiful

For a brief moment Marcus wondered if she was the woman that Stevens had said, she was beautiful, ice flaked off her pale skin. Marcus noticed something of faint scratch marks on her right wrist; presuming it to be birthmarks the CIA team lead ordered the strange tinted rope cut and the woman carried back to the RV, the woman, Marcus then saw clearly, was soaked through and limper than a went rag.

Ten minutes later after carefully searching the cabin, the team left with their cargo.

Twenty minutes later and the CIA team had left and were on the road.

Twenty five minutes later and the threesome of Anna, Mark and Snowfeather arrived at the ruined camp. Elsa was gone, and there was firerope in the cabin. Only one person that Anna knew of used the stuff to tie down anything or, anyone.

Prince Hans.

But someone else had slain the many bandits. Mark recognised one of the bullets. CIA standard issue silent rounds. Just their luck.

Just their rotten luck.


	12. Seqeunce 3 Memory 5

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Sequence 3**_

 _ **Memory 5 A Snowflake Within a Snowflake part 1**_

 **18 May 2051**

 **Oslo Norway**

 **CIA Travel Bus**

 **Enroute to Oslo**

 **Dawn**

The massive motorohome, a luxury class A RV by Tiffin Motorhomes rumbled along the road towards Oslo. The man at the wheel was Stevens, a CIA advance agent based in Oslo directly. He knew these roads more than any of those within the RV, well, almost everyone. They had a woman, soaking wet with freezing ice cold water, laying on the bed hooked up to the dreamshare device, who was a native to the area they were in. "Alright I see a spot we can stop not far ahead from here" Stevens said.

"Good, sooner you stop we can start this dreamshare" said Marcus. The leader of the team from America differed only to Stevens for local info and directions and left all driving needs to Steven and his men. Stevens smiled, he never really did like working with Americans, but these men were after someone in Norway, at an apparent kingdom called Arendelle. Which was south of the North Mountain, just about a few miles or a day south of the North Pole directly.

Stevens had to wonder how they had come across that cabin so easily on the poorly kept roads. The woman that was inside, tied up on the bed, asleep dead to the world. Was none other than the queen of Arendelle, yet none of the CIA agents knew it at the time. They just thought she was a model of some form. After all that dress was to be extrenely expensive for sure, all those crystals woven in the cloth. Clearly custom designed job for sure.

None of the team wanted to get too close to the extremely cold to the touch woman. It was as if they were scared of her. The icicles and snowflakes on her body and dress, that smooth beautiful untarnished flawless skin. It made Steven slightly nervous, just being near the woman as steam rose off her body, snowflakes drifting off her as well. It made him more than a little nervous. He'd heard stories of a powerful sorceress in the nothern parts of Norway. For all he knew, this woman on his bed was her! And he for one, wanted her to be treated with respect.

But thankfully, Elsa was helpless, asleep, dead to the world. Hooked up to the dreamshare device as well. Which allowed for the team to hook up and ready for some dreamsharing.; they needed only five minutes. Longer if they were lucky. Steven pulled the massive motorhome into a motor lodge resort and parked, stepping out briefly he registered for a two night stay and then moved the RV to that location. Once parked he hooked up the RV with the help of a teammate and then set up the place, the slidouts set up and slid soundlessly and locked into place, the automatic leveling jacks activated and settled the massive rig perfectly level on the site.

Stevens turned towards Marcus "We're clear." He said, while closing the windowshades and dimming the lights. The cable was hooked up to the dreamshare. He turned the TV on "Everything you guys see in the dreamshare will be on this screen for us all to see. Let me know when you want to start to come up, and I'll hit the music for you."

"Right, lets get under and see what our lovely guest is dreaming about shall we ?" All four men got to their places, one laid in the back closet on the drop down bed, two were at the table, and the last was on the sofa, the woman on the bed, still soaking wet at that, was also hooked up to the machine. A brief test was done with a scanner showing that the woman was knocked out due to a sleeper dart to the back. And the type of sleeper dust as they called it had clocked her cold for four days or ninety six hours. Which was more than enough time to dreamshare.

Stevens waited until the team was settled before hitting the power key. Two seconds later all four team members were in the whiteroom loading zone. Their guest, who slept on the bed, was already in the dream world. It was only time for the team to join her dream.

 ** _Within the Dream_**

 ** _Part 1_**

 ** _Arendelle Docks_**

 ** _2 May 1979_**

Elsa felt boyant, and for brief moments wondered of why as she woke up, it was her bed. Waking up at the sound of her mothers voice at her door she got up from the bed and went to the door, upon opening it she saw her mother standing outside it and about to knock. "Mother ? Is something wrong ?" Elsa asked. She still had to get ready, why did her mother look so pretty ? What day was that day ?

"The painter is running late, he wants to take what he calls a 'snapshot' of some sort of us to use as a refernce image toi work from for our family protrait." Idun replied, "He's running a little bit late and your father is getting more than a bit nervous about said lateness. So, What I want you to do is to get ready and find Anna, she might be in the courtyard or markpet place. Your father wants this to be good as possible but not perfect as this is only a reference the painter is getting to work from."

Elsa smiled and nodded, "Don't worry mother, I'll find Anna and meet you and father in the throne room ?" That was the plan right ?

Idun smiled. "Your father said he wanted to originally have the painting done in the throne room, but it is too brightly lit for the painters needs. Just get ready and meet me in the dining room after you find Anna. Oh, and you are packed right ? I can have Gerda load your bags onto the ship."

So that was it, the painter was running late, which meant it was going to be a rushed job for the refrence pose image for the painter to work with while they were on their cruise. Great. Elsa nodded and closed the door. Time to get ready she thought. She knew her father wanted the family protrait to be perfect. And therefore it meant her best possible dress. So with that thought in mind as she did her hair, her dress shifted slightly as crystals of ice flowed across its surface. The teal green skirt became a brighter silvery green and quickly meshed with her top and sleeves that ended on her wrists and backs of her hans. In all, her dress felt lighter. Now to find Anna.

After a brief look in the mirror to make sure her hair was perfect for the painter, Elsa smiled, it was time to go. As she went to the door she held it open for Gerda who entered with two other servants. Without a word Elsa slipped past Gerda into the hall

Ever since that accident nearly fifiteen years before, Elsa had learned through her sisters love for her to control her icey powers, it got to the point where she could remake her clothing on a mere thought! Just think of a design or shape, and it worked out fine. Better than hoped actually at times. In fact it sometimes terrified her father, and yet lately he seemed to look forwards to social gatherings more than he used to. But sometimes Elsa worried for her father.

She passed a few guards; none of whom she really cared about at the time. Stepping down the stairs she passed the dining room and library. Coming to a fast halt had she not seen her father pacing. Again. Pacing and muttering to himself confused about something. The painter was there however she recognised the man instantly upon entering the room. Insofar as not to be trusted, something about the mans eyes made her slightly nervous as he seemed to watch her every move.

"Father" Elsa said, upon seeing the man turn to her "Is everything alright ?"

"Ah, Elsa, Has your mother spoken with you ?" Her father said, Elsa nodded "Good, have you found Anna ? Is she packed and ready ? We are to do the painting upon the ship. Sooner we find Anna, the sooner we can be off." It was a family trip that their mother wanted them all to go on, to get them away from Arendelle for a few days to a week or more. Just to relax for once. Being in charge of a massive kingdom made Christophe work too hard many days recently and Idun wanted her husband to relax and her girls to have fun. So she organised a trip with Kai for them to take.

"Yes, mother informed me, I was just about to fetch Anna and meet you and mother at the docks to get aboard." Elsa replied. She couldn't wait for the cruise, her first cruise in her entire life, a Disney Norwegian Fjord Tour. So much fun to be had!

"Good good. See to Anna, I have a few things to finish here. I'll meet you and your sister on the dock with your mother. Our luggage should be loaded aboard by now. So go get your sister." Christophe said, He gave Elsa a brief hug, he hadmired her icey blue dress she had made for herself. Almost six dozen of the things of various shades of blue and silver. And green. Along with white ice. Glasslike in fact. His daughter had come a long way. "Now, see to your sister, I'll catch up with you two." Elsa nodded and left the library, all the while the painters eyes never left her.

Ten minutes later and she was out in the marketplace district looking for Anna, who was actually waiting for her at the time just inside the marketplace. Elsa could see her sister was axious about something, but she was unable to see exactly what her sister was worried about. "There you are!" Elsa said upon catching up to Anna. "I was looking for you."

"Looking for me ? Why ? Is something wrong ?" Anna asked.

"Are you packed ? Mother wants us to meet her and Father at the docks before we board the ship." Elsa said, Anna nodded at the question. Anna was excited, that was why she was in the marketplace so early, she was axious to get aboard but had to wait for the others to join her and then meet up at the dock as planned, a brief yet useful thing indeed.

"Come on, I'm packed, I had Kai send my things to the ship already. Are you packed ?" Anna asked, giving Elsa a look, her elder sister nodded, At nineteen Elsa was a knockout, dressed in a beautiful silvery green ballgown of sorts, Elsa looked every bit the Princess. Elsa in some ways made Anna slightly jealous, after all Elsa had awesome icey powers to worry about too. Well, not as much as she used to. Not after that accident, Grand Pabbie had helped with some advice to Elsa, love will thaw. That was all she had to remember. And she soon mastered her icey powers.

"Lead the way" Elsa said, Anna did just that, taking her sister by the hand she all but dragged her sister through the market to the docks where a massive cruise ship waited. Their parents were also just arriving. Giving her mother a quick hug, Elsa spoke up "We're ready. Is there anything else we need ?"

Her father shook his head, "No, the painter is already aboard with what he needs for the painting, we're to meet with him tonight for the family protrait." He said, he handed his daughters their passports and the four went aboard, once scanning in with their passports and keys they were lead abaord by a crewman. Who identified himself as James. Elsa didn't like the look of him as he took a long look directly at her.

"Right this way please. Our captain is overseeing the final preperations before departure. We depart in exactly twenty minutes. We still have a few families to join us." The crewman lead them to their stateroom, a massive yet beautifully crafted room. "Ah here we are. Your keys do not have your stateroom number listed on them, for security reasons. So please, feel free to explore the ship, at exactly 5 PM we hold a lifeboat drill, everyone is required to attend." The man then bowed and left. Allowing the four to explore their room further. Anna liked what she saw. Elsa did too.

Idun went to the doorwall and opened it, looking back at their castle in beyond the market. They were finally going on a cruise. It was about time. And it was to relax. Not to meet up with other nobles or similar people, just to have fun with their daughters. Elsa watched as her father went and stood beside her mother. The two of them together. It made her smile at the thought. Seeing them together just made her happy inside.

After exploring the two bedroom Royal Suite as it was called by the cruise ship company, Elsa announced she wanted to explore the ship and find something on board to eat. There was sure to be a resturant aboard somewhere. There were in fact, three resturants. And her mother had made reservations for just her and Christophe, allowing the girls to either eat in one of the dining rooms that evening, or with Kai in his stateroom next door.

Elsa at that moment merely wanted to explore the vast ship. Standing up from the sofa, which was remarkably soft and very comfortable, Elsa announced she'd meet up with Anna in time for dinner before exiting the room, taking her room key with her. As she left her father spoke up, causing her to halt "They hold the life boat drill shortly, we'll meet up there before seperating." Elsa nodded, she had forgotten the crewman had mentioned the lifeboat drill. She left the stateroom then and headed through the vast ship to explore.

 _ **Three hours later**_

Elsa stepped into their reserved room, Her parents had mentioned the time and place to meet back up for the royal painting to begin. It took but mere moments she was told, but it made her nervous. Never the less, she went into the room and found herself the first one there. Shortly joined by her father, but until he arrived she was alone and able to explore the vast gallery of paintings in the room.

She reccgnised her grandmother, Ingrid, and also her ancestor, Marissa, her great grandmothers great grandmother in fact. She was surprised to learn that her ancestor Marissa had married an Arabian merchant named Joseph. A man from the countries to the far and mystical south.

Her father soon joined her in the gallery. "I thought I'd find you here" He said upon arriving, seeing Elsa going through the family tree book made him smile. But it was her question that made that smile falter slightly.

"Who is this ?" She pointed out a young woman, it looked similar to herself, but the year was nearly three thousand years before! "Why does she look like me ?" Elsa asked.

"Elsa, there is something you need to know." Christophe said, he then explained to her the family tree and how it worked. He pointed out the first queen, Flowerfeet, her granddaughter Elena. Christophe even pointed out the remarkable similarity between Elsa and Queen Marissa herself. But what confused Elsa was the fact that her father was not even in the book to begin with. Unlike back at home, the royal historians were always ontop of things.

"So this book only goes as far as Mother, Anna and I are not in it, nor are you ?" Elsa said thoughtfully.

"That is correct, you see, the cruise line company has yet to get the revised history book. Which they should get when our painting sitting is completed." Christophe replied. Elsa closed the book and set it on the table in the gallery as her father offered a hand to her. She took it and stood. The two of them then headed for the painting room where the painter, the one Elsa was more familiar with, was waiting. A few moments later and her mother and sister joined them.

It was a brief matter then of placement, Elsa was to be seated on the throne chair. Christophe originally wanted to stand to the side like he normally did, but Elsa insisted that he stand next to her with her mother and Anna on her other side, After all, the painting was orginased by her mother for her birthday to begin with.

Elsa wanted her father to stand next to her while she sat on the chair, his hand on her soulder, her hand on his. She looked up to her father, love in her eyes. Christophe nodded to Elsa at her request. After all it was for her birthday. And stood next to her, his hand on her shoulder. He smiled broadly when her hand touched his and she looked to him, and he looked down to her, love shining brightly in his own eyes.

For exactly the time needed the family posed in that exact pose. They'd have the results by the end of the cruise. They soon parted for dinner, Anna and Elsa meeting up with Kai for room service while they parents went to the dining room far above known as Palo.

 ** _The next morning_**

Elsa wandered the ship again, this time in the bright morning unshine. She felt eyes on her and pretended not to notice. It was hard to not exactly be noticed, she knew that to be sure. All sorts of people, nobles, commoners, even touriests seeking to visit their vast kingdom were commonplace aboard the massive vessel. She was spoken to by several people but never referred to as the queen, it was always Princess. A few paid her common curtisy and made way to let her pass.

But she felt eyes on her, focused on her. She didn't feel safe. Looking off the stern of the ship she briefly thought she saw waves moving unnaturally so. As she stood at the stern and looked out to sea behind the Magic; she could not help but notice the movement of the waves within the fjord. Impossible! She thought.

"Enjoying the view ?" A mans voice asked, a man she was not familiar with but thought she recognised when she glanced his way briefly, the painter from the castle ? He was aboard as well ? "Most unnatural, Those waves. Not the least of what I am used to seeing on otherwise calm fjords."

Elsa saw what he meant, it was indeed confusing. "Yes, the fjords are normally quite calm, what is causing that I wonder ?" Elsa looked to the man next to her, "Do I know you by any chance ? You look familiar. Are you one of Marks brothers in his order ?" She did not know it then, but she gave a brief bit of important info

Marcus took that chance to introducing himself, with a mock bow he said "My name is Marcus Greely. I and my brothers came on this trip because my youngest brother organised it for the lot of us. And I am quite glad he did. You see, I have a liking of history and other cultures. Visiting the fjords so far from home, It gives a sense of otherworldness to me." He said, He leaned on the rail "The beauty of it all." He said, meaning mostly her though it was hard not to stare at the beautiful teen before him. Marcus could not guess the blonde Princess's age right, but he assumed her under twenty one.

Elsa smiled, turning from the rail she said "Walk with me." Marcus smiled and walked with her, he kept his hands behind his back, clasped together as they walked throughtfully from the rear of the ship towards the upper levels. Niether of them were aware of the creature coming from the depths behind them.

"I must admit" Elsa said as they walked to the upper most level of the ship and stood at the rail. "I feel as if I have seen you before. Were you a the castle talking with my father, the King of Arendelle ?" Elsa asked Marcus

Marcus smiled, and lied clearly yet Elsa was unable to decern the lie properly. "Who ? You're the princess of the kingdom ?" He faked it so well as he said to her "I have to admit I merely thought you were just another tourist on the fjord tour through the cruise line company."

Elsa looked him over and finally nodded, he told her the truth. For the moment at least. Marcus saw that she wanted some time to herself so he excused himself and went one level lower. For a long moment Elsa just watched the sides of the vast fjord going by.

Suddenly the ship gave a great lurch that sent everyone to the ground and nearly sent Elsa off the rail to the deck two decks below! Clinging to it she climbed back onto the outlook deck and looked around confused. What in the world ?

Down on the lower deck of the upper levels of the vase cruiseliner Barnabas looked around confused as did James. "Mother Benny's fried chicken, what the fuck just happened ?" Elsa could just barely make out the words and had to stare at the man below as he swore openly as he did.

"Musta hit a reef or one of the shoals below the ship, some of these fjords are not as deep as some think they should be." Said a crewman on the ship as he helped an elderly fellow to his feet.

The ship gave another lurch before a crewman was plucked off the ship. When the man was held into the air screaming loudly the crew panicked, calling out "KRAKEN!" Elsa watched the bedlam and wondered if her family was safe in their room, then she remembered the legend, _No! This can't be happening! It just can't be!_ She thought franticly as huge tenticles snaked their way up the sides of the massive cruiseliner. Slowly yet surely turning the cruiseliner onto its side, tipping it over as people fell into the deadly waters of the ice cold fjord.

Elsa kept her grip tightly on the rail of the topmost deck as the ship tilted only so far. Finally she thought it safer to jump for her life and swim to shore rather than get eaten by a nightmare, so she dove off the side as the rail acted as a perfect diving board. She hit the water cleanly and stared through the deadly crystal clear water at the massive creature as it pulled the massive cruiseliner under. Going to the surface Elsa climbed onto a overturned table floating on the water and laid on it for a long moment before blacking out.

 ** _Royal Cabin aboard the Disney Wonder_**

 ** _Just past midnight, Arendelle time_**

 ** _3 May 1979_**

Elsa snapped awake and sat bolt upright in her bed, looking around wildly she saw that she was still in her family's royal stateroom. Looking around she heard her sisters loud snore and smiled. Well, that was all the truth she needed, she looked at the clock and saw easily that it was just past midnight, just a bad dream, nothing more. Elsa laid back down and tried to go back to sleep. Hopefully she'd dream a better dream. And forget about her nightmare.

 **In the wakeful world**

 **CIA RV, in movement**

 **21 May 2051**

 **Dusk**

"That was eventful" Stevens said thoughtfully as Marcus woke up and sat bolt upright. "You OK ?" He asked looking back to the man from where he sat, the RV was on the road again, they were in the dream a good full day and night. But sadly unable to learn anything needed. Yet.

"I'm fine!" Marcus grumbled as he got stock of his surroundings. RV, check, movement, uh... check ? "We were so close to getting the information we needed from the woman on Michaels. But then that thing had to show up right when I was about to get what I sought. What was the fuckin' thing anyhow ?"

"What ? You mean the Kraken ?" Stevens said, He chuckled. "It is from an old seagoing legend. One you should have thought about, its native to this area. Much like the princess herself on the bed back there." The other CIA members were waking up, one of them jumping clean up from his location in the closet and nearly breaking his own neck in doing so.

Marcus disconnected himself from the machine and got up, going to the TV he went over the recording "I hit the music as soon as the ship was hit by the thing. I moved it a bit faster than normal in order to pull you guys out at the right time. I think I got everyone, well, everyone but her. She's still out" Stevens explained.

"Whatever those louts at that cabin hit her with sent her into a very deep sleep. We wont be able to get near her if we try again so soon" Marcus said thoughtfully, he shut down the dreamshare device. Taking a brief look into the bedroom as Barnabas stepped from the closet holding his head in his hands.

"I think she is that one that the stories spoke about." Stevens said, he said it in a respectful tone.

Marcus turned towards Stevens, a doubtful look to his face, "What ? You mean to tell me you believe in those stories ? Obviously the womans got hypothermia, or similar." Marcus replied, he took a quick look at the woman on the bed, Elsa was still asleep, and snowflakes flaked off her still soaking wet body and clothing. "Didn't you dry her off ? I thought I told you to dry her off."

"Are you kidding me ?" Stevens asked, "If I so much as touch her she'd kill me!" It was clear the Oslo native took the local legends seriously. Possibly too seriously. "Besides, If that woman is indeed the one the local legends speak about, then there is no way in hell I'm going to touch her body. Even to dry her off." He said.

"Is that out of fear or something else ?" Marcus asked darkly as Barnabas stepped from the rear bedroom closet to the front living space area, opening the fridge he got himself a drink to wake up.

"Respect" Stevens replied calmly. Marcus gave Stevens a dirty look, his hand going for his gun. Stevens smiled at Marcus' actions. "Don't think you can do this without me, when she wakes up, if she wakes up, she'll need someone she can understand and trust, and you need a man that knows the area like I do, so I am afraid you are stuck with me either way." he said, stating a fact.

For a long moment Marcus said nothing as Barnabas, his second in command just watched the two as the RV was in motion. "Alright, what do you suggest ?" He asked.

"Right now I suggest getting yourself something to eat, maybe go over what you managed to get so far. There could be clues in the woodowork you could use." Stevens said as Marcus came and sat next to him, Steven turned onto the main road from the campground. "The woman's out for another day, maybe two, I think waiting until tonight or tomorrow morning to get into her next dream might be safest."

"She did not recognise James or Barnabas, but she did recognise me as the painter in her families castle." Marcus said as he reviewed the files they'd managed to get, "She kept mentioning a man named Mark for some odd reason. However. I do not know of such a fellow. Even if I did. How does she know of such a man ?"

"Mark ? Did she give a last name ?" Stevens asked

"Yeah, her sister mentioned a guy named Wolfe. Know him ?" Barnabas replied. As he had spoken briefly with Anna on the ship in the dream.

"Sure do, there was a CIA advance agent named Mark Wolfe, worked out of Cairo." Stevens said, Marcus nodded

"Hey I know him." Marcus replied, He brought the information onto his iPad. "Names Mark Wolfe, born in nineteen sixty one. One brother, Stillborn at birth from complications of underdeveloped lungs and heart. Parents both deceased, taken in at seven years old to the Elisar family, keeping the surename of Wole, Mark soon joined Egyptian Univeristy in Cairo. Joined the CIA at twenty six, trackrecord is cleanest and all one hundred percent compared even to us." Marcus said.

"I thought I recognised the name." Steven said, he he'd pulled to a gas station to get some fuel, once he told the attendent what was required, he brought out a phonebook. "This is the local phonebook, Let me see here... aha, Wolfe, Mark, Port of Arendelle."

"Did you say Arendelle ?" Marcus asked

"Yeah why ?" Steven said "Something important about the name or location or what ?"

"Because the woman on the bed in the dream mentioned her father, the iKing/i of Arendelle" Marcus replied, gears of thought already turning in her head. "We're going back into the dream, now, I want to find out more, Barnabas, she's yet to meet you, I want you to find and speak with her this time around. See if you can meet with her father, sure he'll merely be a projection and might not speak, but try and get a look of him."

Barnabas nodded and went to take his seat nest to the dreamshare device, Marcus continued "Save everything from the first dream, I want to review it later." Steven got the RV rolling again, once again on the empty road. It was time to haull ass home to Oslo.

He just hoped he could explain to their guest soaking wet on the bed what was going on when she woke up. He'd honestly thought that the woman on the bed, soaking wet, yet untouched by the cold, was indeed a powerful woman of some kind. He hoped he could explain to her what was going on. Maybe even drop her off back at her home ?

"Passpro ?" Barnabas asked, short for password protect. Normally they locked everything down.

"No, just save it standard passpro disabled." Marcus said "I want to freely access the files as needed and maybe ask her certain things as well when reviewing." He turned back to the front just as a massive bird aimed for them not too far ahead. "Steven, watch out!" WHAM! Ulnaus made contact with the front windshield of the massive RV.

Steven struggled to keep the RV undercontrol as the massive black eagle feathers pretty much covered the entire front window of the RV. Marcus screamed something uninteligble and Barnabas spoke of the dreamshare device reactivating and ready to go; Marcus swore and went to check, struiggling to keep his balance as the RV swrvered a few times before steadying out.

With the attention of the driver and his side passenger on the massive bird on the front window. None within the massive RV saw that a black Humvee was pulling up in bedhind them perfectly timed with speed for speed.

Kai kept the humvee on a proper path and disgorged his passengers onto the rear of the RV, the four climbed up the ladder, Blackmane gave a wave and made a motion of a phone to her ear and mouth, saying simply, 'Will call when stopped' kai nodded and the humvee slowed, gaining distence between the massive RV and the smaller Arendelle Assassins rig.

Climbing swiftly towards the bathroom skylight Mark slid it open without a sound as the RV slowed to a halt, sliently dropping into the bathroom he tased the only man inside that was awake and cuffed the man with his own cuffs.

He poked his head out the door as Ulanus made a mess of the front windscreen, Nodding as Snowfeather dropped silently next to him He never saw her disapepar from sight and head towards the front as he checked the closet. It was empty. Mark turned and helped Blackmane into the RV's massive rear bathroom as Matthew dropped down without a sound in a swirl of snowflakes.

Mark nodded to the silent commands but they all turned their gaze towards the front when they heard a mans voice scream out "You! Ya crazy bitch! The hell are you doing in my RV ?!"

"The same thing you are. Getting information." Snowfeather replied with a smirk.

"Getting information, for fucks sake woman! You're tresspassing!" Marcus replied, venom in his tone.

"Yeah, well, you're kidnapping a dear friend of mine. I got better reason to be here than you do." Snowfeather replied, she held a gun on the man as her twin sister stepped into view, tazer ready. Easily spiking the thing into Marcus neck the man sank to the RV floor in a heap as Stevens turned around, panic clear in his eyes as Blackmane sat next to him.

"Keep driving; keep us steady, at the first campground, pull off and set up. We have a woman to save, and you are a respectful sort of man so you'll live." Blackmane said softly, Stevens nodded and continued driving as Blackmane activated the last two strings of the dreamshare device, unlocking them as Matthew and Mark stepped around sleeping men still hooked up to the thing.

"I take it you know her then ?" Stevens said, makiing something of small talk

"Depends on know her. If you mean the woman you kidnapped from our targets, then yes, we know her quite well. In fact, how do you know her ?" Snowfeather said to Stevens.

"Local legens mostly." He replied, explaining what he knew.

"Why didn't you dry her off ?" Snowfeather asked him.

"You kidding ? I dare not touch her!" It was clear that Stevens respected both the local legends and myths, but also respected Elsa to the point of not even drying her off out of fear of what she'd do to him.

"Understandable" Snowfeather said. "I will handle that part of things."

"What ? You mean touch her ? Are you out of your mind ? She'll kill you!" Stevens said, clearly horrified at what might happen if the woman on the bed were touched.

"Shut up and keep driving" growled Blackmane, who stood at the dreamshare device, Stevens did so.

At their respective seats Mark nodded off as Blackmane activated the dreamshare; Matthew as well. Both men soon fast asleep within Elsa's latest dream.

 ** _Within the Dream_**

 ** _Part 2_**

 ** _Traialine Fjord_**

 ** _One day off Carona_**

 ** _23 May 1979_**

 ** _Aboard the Silversparrow_**

Both Mark and Matthew woke up, so to speak, in their repsective locations. Mark in the captains cabin of a massive black ship with dark sails. Ah yes, he thought. Captain of his own ship for once! He rolled out of bed and saw that everything he also wanted in the dream was present, he put it all on. And then sent off Ulnaus to track down Elsa's last known location. Using his compass to track the massive eagle

Stepping out of his cabin he was halted almost instantly by his second in command, Matthew looked quite good in that outfit, Mark mused. "Not quite according to plan" Matthew said.

"Complications arose, ensued, were overcome." Matthew replied smugly.

"I mean the accomodations..." Matthew replied softly to Mark. "Being on a pirate ship in Elsas dream, That is not what I was planning on."

"Same here," Mark replied just as softly. "It is not my fault if Elsa dreams of a certain man coming to her rescue as the captain of a crew of pirates." Mark replied, he then started walking, he had a cloth in his hands, "The fact that we're going up against a cruiseliner of all things..."

"So you got what you went for then ?" Matthew asked getting into character.

"Mhm" He flicked up the cloth to show Matthew the folded item briefly. Turning around the Mainmast he halted fast and stared as his 'crew' stared back at him.

"Captain, I think the crew. Meaning me as well, were hoping for something a little more... shiny... what with the Ilsa Delamutra being claimed by the sea and the treasure with it."

"And the royal navy chasing us around the Atlantic!" Said another crewman. Mark smiled.

For a long moment he said nothing, finally he said to Matthew, "Shiny ?"

"Aye, shiny" Matthew replied, giving Mark a look that said 'we'd better do this right or the projections will waken us!'

Mark turned to the crewmen, "is that how you're all feeling then ? That perhaps dear old Mark is not serving your best interests as captain ?"

Out of the blue a voice rang out, a birds voice "Walk the plank!" The crewman put a hand to the birds beak to shut it up.

Mark whipped out his pistol, "What did the bird say ?" He asked

"Do not blame the bird" Said a crewman, "Show us what is on that piece of cloth there." It was then that a body fell between them and spooked Marak into shooting it, the dead man stood up, grabbed the cloth and started running along the deck, Mark grabbed the pistol off Matthew and fired. Knocking the piece of cloth from the dead mans hand.

"You know that wont do any good" Matthew grumbled taking back his pistol.

"It does me" Said Mark in reply.

One of the crewmen went over and picked up the cloth from where it fell, looking at it he spoke aloud "Its a necklace"

"No" Mark said, "better", He took the cloth and held it out for everyone to see, "it is a dawring, of a necklace." The men just stepped closer, Matthew included, Mark sighed and asked "Gentlemen, what to necklaces do ?"

"Necklaces... unlock things." Said one crewman, the same one that wanted to see what was on the cloth to begin with.

MattNoew nodded in agreement, "and whatever this necklace unlocks, inside there is something valuable. So we're setting out to find whatever this necklace unlocks!"

"No" Mark replied, Matthew was confused as were the rest of the crew, but Mark explained, "If we don't have the necklace, we can't open whatever it is we don't have that it unlocks. So what purpose would be served in finding whatever need be unlocked, Which we don't have, without first finding the necklace what unlocks it ?"

"So... we're going after the necklace!" Matthew replied.

Mark just looked at him, only in a dream could Matthew be that dumb, "You're not making any sense at all." Mark said. He looked to the rest of the crew as Matthew gave him a dirty look, "any more questions ?"

"So" Said the one that had originally picked up the dropped cloth image, "Do we have a heading ?"

"Ah! A heading... yes!" Mark replied, he took out his compass, he'd dreamed it up when he sent off Ulnaus only moments before. Opening it he said. "Set sail in a..." He said, the compass spun and moved in different directions briefly as Ulaus was trying to pin piont where Elsa last was. "... general..." his finger pointed all over the place before first pointing to his right then finally nearly nailing Matthew in the nose he said "That way, direction!"

Matthew was confused, "Captain ?"

"Come on snap to, make sail you know how this works, Oi, oi, oi!" At those words from Mark giving the orders the crew got into their stations and got things ready for use. It was going to take some doing but at least they were moving.

A crewman went to the rail as Matthew stood next to it. "Have you noticed the captain seems to have been acting a bit strange... er ?"

Matthew had to agree "setting sail without knowing his own heading. I'll have to talk to him and find out whats up." Turning from the rail Matthew headed towards the captains cabin.

Once inside he shut the door behind him and made sure it was properly locked up. "Alright Mark, give it to me straight" He said in Arabic, a langauge the projections of the crew were unable to understand, "How is it that you're the captain and I'm your second in command ?"

"Honestly I don't know, but apparently the crew believes I'm compentent enough to lead them so lets get this to where we should be and be off." Mark looked briefly at his compass. Mhm, they were headed the right way.

"Yeah, well, why are you the captain and not me ? that's what I wanna know" Matthew said, giving Mark a stern look

Mark thought a brief second and said "I've a bird. that's proof enough"

"And the helmsman also has a bird, why isn't HE captain, then ?" Matthew retorted.

Mark didn't even blink as he replied "My bird's bigger."

Matthew just raised an eyebrow "Your bird, is not a bird, its a frickin' Ford Probe!"

"Your point ?" Mark said, he shook his head and with a wave of his hand to dismiss the last topic he said "we're on track yes ?"

"As far as we should be, what good is it though ?" Matthew asked

"Ulnaus is tracking Elsas last known location" Mark replied, he picked up and twriled his compass on a finger, "I've a means to track him, the necklace unlocks her from the dream, in this dream she wears it herself, once I get it off her I can wake us all up. And may be get her dried off in the RV too."

"How do you plan to wake her up ?" Matthew asked.

"I've been thinking about that. I'll have to go into port alone and hope she falls off a cliff into the fjord, rescue her, and then procceed off that. Somehow." Mark replied, he was already getting things into gear. "We reviewed her last dream, with the CIA team, in this dream the CIA are still quite active in it. I'll go on ahead alone and interact with a few projections of Elsas mind, the Arendelle army has soldiers guarding ships there." Mark said, he plotted out with Matthew on the plan "You'll act as captain in my stead of the Bluesparrow, I'll go on ahead and hopefully save Elsa from a grim fate. She wont wake up, not right away, still has six six days at most at this rate in this world at least."

"Alright, as long as you know what you're doing we should be OK." Matthew said.

"As far as I am aware, Elsas latest dream was disturbed by the movement of the RV, the waters will be rough the closer we get to Arendelle in this dream world. Warn the crew of rough water ahead and to be ready to tie themselves to the masts when required. We make for Gellianhead; I'll procure a ship there and move on for Arendelle ahead of you, give me half a day speed over you though. Thencome in guns blazing. Aim at the castle and I'll personally maroon my own crew and dream up a new one."

"So what do we do ?" Matthew asked.

Mark went to the table, there was a map of Arendelle on it, "The night I arrive, I will be sure to arrive early in the day, hopefully be able to rescue Elsa. And then from there get taken to their cells which look to the guard towers here, here, and here" Mark pointed out three of the nine guard towers surrounding the harbor. "Have the crew target only these five guard towers, and this dock area." Mark pointed out five realtively usless guard towers and a mostly cargo dock.

"Alright I'll have the men ready..." Matthew started to say before being cut off.

"Wait" Mark said raising a hand, Matthew then noticed a half glazed look on his face. "Don't bother. I think Ulnaus found Elsa. She's not at Arendelle. On a ship somewhere at sea in the fjords on a private yacht"

"What ? Where ?" Matthew asked.

"Shut it!" Mark said raising a hand. "Whoa"

Matthew glared at Mark "What ?"

"Why have I not seen that dress before ? Its beautiful!" Mark continued, he activcated a floating screen out of nothing, a digital screen appeared; showing Elsa, her mother and father, and a seamstress and dress maker inside a room aboard a private royal owned vessel named the Tealsparrow. Matthew even stared briefly at what he was seeing. Elsa trying on a new dress. Unlike what he expected in all honesty.

"How far ?"

"Half a day." Mark replied, "Have the ship go full sail, full canvas. I want spotteres on prow, port and starboard, and midship port and starboard to watch for the Tealsparrow. We'll fly the Arendelle colors to get through the fjords. I do not want to risk the Arendelle Royal Navy finding us."

"Right. Anything else ?"

"Yes, I see two of the CIA team onboard the Tealsparrow, the Silversparrow is the fastest ship on the seas. Full canvas Mr Michaels" Mark said. Matthew nodded and left the cabin giving the order loudly as he exited the room. Mark went back to the image of Elsa in a beautiful new dress. He focused on something around her neck.

The necklace he sought.

The path out of the dream was around the Crown Princess of Arendelles own neck!

 _ **At that same moment aboard the Tealsparrow**_

"What do you suppose that is ?" Asked the King, Christoph of Arendelle.

"One of ours apparently your highness." Replied Jack, one of the CIA team still in the dream. "Never seen the craft before, so it must be new. She's flying your flag." He passed the spyglass over.

"So she is. Appears to be a newer vessel, she is moving quickly," Christophe lowered the spyglass. "Double the watch, I want updated every twenty minutes. If they're closer, same distance, anything." he handed back the spyglass

"Yes sir" Came the reply as the spyglass was returned to its proper place.

Christophe went into the main cabin where the dressmaker, his lovely wife Idun, and his elder daughter, Elsa, were. Elsa was trying on a new dress. It happened almost weekly of the dressmaker coming to the castle to begin work, taking measurements. This latest dress however, Christophe had to stare. That shade of green, so dark and forboding. It felt... wrong to him.

Thankfully Elsa spoke the same thoughts he was thinking. "Oh mother, its beautiful, but I fear it is a bit too dark. You know I mastered my ice. Why can it not be in bright colors ?" Christophe marveled at what a young woman his eldest daughter had become. For two years he'd kept his girls seperated, but it broke his wifes heart.

So at Idun and Annas insistence he went in search of a man, or woman, anyone really, who could help teach his daughter. After a week away on the trip he returned home. He'd found no help. But his family was happy. They were together, that was what counted. He'd spoken with the trolls, and Pabbie had said that the key to controlling Elsas magic was to let her freely explore them. And so he did. And Elsa had grown in her magic, loving it, embracing it. She was just plain wonderful with it.

Idun smiled "Sweetie, you know we set this one up. After all, its for the ball next week. If we went with something too light, it might not look proper. Though. I am curious. You do like the design, you said so yourself. But why not the color ?"

"That's right, I really like the design, the color they had at the shop was beautiful." Elsa said in reply to her mother. "But this shade of green, and the black, it feels too dark. Almost as if I am mourning the loss of someone at a funeral. If it were lighter though then it'd be perfect."

"What do you have in mind, Elsa ?" Her father said voicing his thought, he nodded to her when she was speaking her mind on the dress. He liked it when his daughters gave their personal opinion on their clothing as they got older. He even noticed how Elsa more and more often wore her hair in a beautiful thick braid.

Elsa thought for a moment, she desperately wanted to see if she could make clothing out of premade stuff with her magic. "Can I try something ?" She asked, her father nodded. Elsa raised her right hand, and cast a snowflake off it. Taking a deep breath she willed the snowflake to spin, it span freely and quickly, it suddenly exploded into many more of itself and tralved up her right arm. Changing the dark black faberic into a beautiful nearly sheer teal green.

The ice magic traveled up her right arm and down her body, transforming the gown, corset and all, into a beautiful teal green hue. It kept most of the design, but the dressmaker was in awe. She had never seen such beautiful faberic before in her life! Within moments it was done, Elsa looked to her parents.

Her father was nodding, he approved of the dress, Sheer beauty. Her mother smiled. Elsa asked them "Well, how do I look ?" Did she even have to ask her parents that question ? Her fathere smiled as her mother hugged her.

Then all their attention was taken by the sudden sight of one of the crew falling past the window into the icey fjord. What the hell ?

Elsas mother gave a sharp cry and ran to the window. Elsa though saw the shadow of a large bird pass the window and she could hear the wings. She wanted to see that bird, so as her parents went to the window she went out to the main deck and looked among the sails as the crew scampered around trying to find what caused one of their number to fall over board.

Elsa moved towards the front of the ship; The massive royal vessel was crewed by the Arendelle Navy's finest sailors. Only a few of them paid heed to the Princess in their midst as they scurried around. Some were calling out of a ship hailing them. Others were frantically trying to fish out their fellow crewman from the fjorrd, and a few were seemingly scared of something.

Elsa climbed up to the Prow Deck and looked off the front of the ship. The lavatories were directly below, but she saw something that caught her vision clearly. The same time she saw it, the rest of those on the ship saw it. Which now meant that the other ship, the smaller faster ship, the Silversparrow. Had pulled up silently along side.

Ulnaus had distracted everyone. And had Elsas full attention as he preened at the very point of the bowspirite of the Tealsaprrow. Elsa wanted to get closer. Since she was almost always barefoot even at the castle, on the ship it was just as fun, if not more fun to pad around without shoes that hurt her feet. She climbed onto the bowspirite and using one of the guideropes to keep her balance she went out to the massive beautiful bird.

Seeing the bird one of the crew of the Tealsparrow readied a rifle. He took aim over Elsas right shoulder as she reached Ulnaus.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you" Called out a mans voice. In all the confusion and focus on the massive bird on the prow of the Tealsparrow, nobody had noticed the Silversparrow pull up along side, the man whipped towards the owner of the voice as Mark stood on the rail of the Tealsparrow. Happy that he had the mans attention Mark said. "You see, he's not eaten yet, and right now quite moody, shooting at him might do something that the royal family might not like." Mark said as he dropped from the rail onto the deck

Soldiers turned towards him, weapons ready. But it was one man that was more focused on him as Chrstophe stepped into view. "Who are you ?"

"A friend of your daughter." Came the answer. "If I were you I'd not worry, Ulnaus is quite calm, but shooting him will rile him up as I had said. Besides, he's taken a liking to your daughter, you should be proud." Mark smiled.

With everyone now focused on the sudden arrival of the pirate ship, the Silversparrow, Elsa kept her attention on the massive beautiful Eagle on the point of the bowspirite. Ulnaus, she heard the name once before, where did she know it ? Was he with Mark ? Wait, was that Marks voice ? Elsa whipped her head around, Mark was there ?!

Moving quickly she scampered back down the Bowspirite and onto the prowdeck, soon as her feet touched the prowdeck she called out his name "Mark ?!"

Her father and also Mark turned towards her as she neared the group. The sailors spread away as she neared and all but tackled the pirate into a hug. OK, here was the part that Mark knew was going to hurt. He needed to isolate Elsa, and find the CIA team within her dream before he could properly waken her.

"Easy Princess, I'm still getting my sealegs back" Mark said, he hated lying to Elsa, but he was more doing it in his own need to do so because the projections in her dream might kill him. She eased back on the hug.

"Where were you ? I wanted to tell you I was going to be away, but you came out all this way ?" Elsa asked him. Apparently she was the Princess, not the Queen. Seeing her father was there. Which meant that Mark had to play it safe, he barely spotted Matthew take down two CIA team members, two down, two to go.

"Is there a place we can talk alone, Princess ?" Elsa nodded and all but dragged Mark into her cabin on the lower deck as her father dissmissed the soldiers. None had any idea, aside from Mark and Matthew, that two men had just been woken up from the dream.

 **In the wakeful world**

Blackmane activated the music and placed the headphones on Marks head as Matthew sought out the remaining two CIA team members within Elsas dream. Two seconds later and all four were woken rather rudely and tazed almost instantly upon waking up. Once the last of the four were tazed out; Snowfeather placed a pair of headphones on Matthews head. Slow music was playing. Slow in the sense of, they had an hour to go.

 _ **In the dream**_

Upon entering Elsas stateroom, Mark sat down when bid to do so as Elsa sat across from him. Anna wasn't in the dream, Ulnaus had only found Elsa aboard the ship. He heard the soft musical tones of the wake up music. Thankully Elsa did not. He saw the necklace around her neck. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Soon as he was home, he told himself, he was going to draw that same design. He ingrained it into his head carefully. Comitting the necklace to memory.

Finally he said "That is a beautiful necklace, Princess. I wonder, what does it unlock ? Did anyone tell you ?"

Elsa shook her head "No, Mother said it fell into my crib the day I was born. They kept it hanging over my dresser until I was old enough to wear it." In the dreamworld the necklace, any necklace, was a key of some kind, and the necklace Elsa wore was the only way to wake her up.

Mark nodded, "I see." He said thoughtfully. A smile graced his face then, "Would you like to see what it unlocks ? See what is... outside ?"

Elsa looked at him. He friend from childhood; shortly after she had mastered her ice and snow she had met the boy in the market, the two had become great friends. Mark noticed something on her hand however as he reached out a hand to take the necklace as Elsa removed it from her neck. "All these years, and I never found out, what does it unlock ?" She smiled and nodded, handing it over with her right hand she said

"Yes. I want to see what this unlocks."

Mark smiled, taking the necklace he held it up, there! He heard an audible click and the world went completely black as the dream was unlocked.

 **MEMORY SYNC COMPLETED; SEQUENCE 3 COMPLETE**


	13. Seqeunce 4 Memory 1

**_Jellicle's Creed_**

 ** _Frozen Memories_**

 ** _Seqeunce 4_**

 ** _Memory 1; Reunion Tour part 1_**

 **21 May 2051**

 **Midway between Oslo Norway and Arendelle**

 **Highway 303**

 **CIA RV**

 **Dawn**

Mark's eyes sprang open and he slowly sat up. A full night in Elsas dream was one thing, but thankfully he managed to wake her up from it. He hoped. The effects of the knockout dart still had to wear off. Which mean they had anything from an hour or less or more to wait. "How'd we do ?" He asked to Blackimane who stood next to him. The woman merely smirked. This was going to be fun to explain to someone Elsa trusted quite a lot.

"You saved Elsa in that get up ?" Came a female voice from behind him. "I'm surprised she didn't deck you."

"Georgina" Mark said dryly. "What a surprise." He reached and removed the dream-share connector from his hand as he spoke.

"A priate saving a princess in a dreamshare. Who knew." Georgina said. She stepped into view from the screen. "Anna says hi by the way." The Arendelle Warrior, not yet a Master Assassin, said to the unasked question.

"Well that explains why you're here. Anything else ?" Matthew spoke up from the rear bathroom.

"Yes" Georgina replied "Anna wants to inform everyone that she and I managed to keep Hans out of trouble, we found him in a tavern in Whtehall District drinking with two of his brothers. I kept two of our brotherhood keeping eyes on the three while Anna and I searched through the castle to ensure nothing occurred within the castle proper. So far, we found nothing. But we only searched her bedroom, Elsas bedroom, and the dining room and main corridors." Georgina gave a full report. "I've six more searching each room carfully as we speak"

Mark smiled, he liked this recruit that Elsa had managed to save from a Templar hanging the year before back in Roughwater. Before liberating the place from the templars the area was known for its hangings. Something that Elsa disliked rather violently. "Great," Mark grumbled, he got up from where he'd slept in the dream and started pacing, "Can't get a moments peacec with that idiot around." He said angerly. Then he halted. Casting a glance towards the bedroom as Matthre passed it. "Wait, I think I know why the firerope; and the sleeper darts!" He said.

Moving to the table where the CIA had placed some of the items Elsa had on her, which was really not much, the woman disliked shoes to the point of only making sandals of ice for brief moments when they were needed, and she hated earrings to the point of nearly outlawing them in the kingdom as a whole; so all they had was a icy ribbon of ice blue that tied her braid and the few shards of ice she kept in her braid. Mark picked up one of the other items that was not Elsas, not even his. A dart.

A sleeper Dart.

Everyone looked at it as Mark snickered, "Typical Hans" He said, "A sleeper dart. Ninety six hour by look of it. Paralysed her, then tied her up." He said nothing of loosing her at her ice palace. Instead he was more focused on trying to get her awake. "Its drained now." He flicked it aside, it stuck to a wall. Leaning against the doorframe he observed Elsa asleep soundlessly, rather helpless, she was unable to move even if she wanted to. That was the point of a sleeper dart. Paralyse the target, and then question them extensively once awake.

And in this case _question_ really meant _dreamshare_. Mark observed the ice flaking off her still soaking wet form on the bed. "I've heard of waterbeds, but this is rediculous." He said. Earning a glare from Snowfeather who remained seated by Stevens. Mark turned towards the driver of the RV. "Alright fella. Time for your story. Out with it, how'd you get roped in with these idiots ?" Mark kicked Marcus in the side.

"Part of the job." Stevens replied calmly. "I'm a native to Oslo Norway, a pleasure to meet you. Agent Stevens, Oslo CIA branch. I was chosen for this team based on my knowledge of the local area as well as the driving abilites I know all of these roads by heart, grew up on them you could say. We'd be in Oslo by now if you hadn't shown up as you did. Massive bird that." Mark smirked.

"That bird is what most likely saved your life, as well as hers." Snowfeather said calmly from where she sat next to Stevens, the man looked ashen but said nothing in reply as the woman spoke. "Had we not followed it to this RV when we had, there woul have been trouble. Not only for you, but for all of us were she injured." Snowfeather never referred to Elsa by her name. But Stevens knew who she meant, his female sound asleep passenger on the bed in the back.

"So" Mark spoke up as he and Georgina searched for towels. "I'm not finding any towels in this rig, where are you hiding them wetwork driver ?" He asked throwing Stevens a deadly look.

"We've none, we were not expecting a soaking wet woman in a beautiful dress such as hers, what is she a supermodel or something ?" Stevens asked, at Snowfeathers glare he continued, "We were planning to take her to Oslo for questioning, but Marcus, that man that you just kicked, wanted information on a guy named Matthew Michaels; a insane assylum escapee from Ukraine." Matthew smiled.

"He'll never find me. According to all these files; Elsa only mentioned Master Wolfe here." Mark smiled and waved as Stevens looked at him with a dirty glare. "Even if the CIA do come to Arendelle, they must come peacefully, I wont leave it for the world now; you can rest assured of that!"

"So you are him then ?" Matthew nodded to the question the Oslo native asked. "Great, the guy they're looking for, and you raid the RV they're using while its in motion, what do you have ? Some kind of deathwish or something ?"

"Only when my friends and family are in danger of the CIA harming them in some manner. Dreamsharing, its not just to get information, but to ruin the dreamers memories; steal secrets; it is worse than waterboarding for sure. You are lucky you were not included in any of those dreams." Mark growled as Matthew spoke of the dreamsharing. He'd done it beefore; used the dreamshare to enter their targets dreams and steal secrets and memories, but leaving them all intact in the targets mind even when he exited the dream.

But Elsa was his primary concern lately. She'd taken a very strong liking to him, he could see it clearly, not anyone could touch ihim/i where it counted the most. And Elsa had taken him by the arm and showed him her massive well designed ice palace four days before! Taken _him_ , by the _arm_ , and _gave him a personal tour_. **_Just the two of them_**. Something within him stirred at that memory. Something about her. And him. Together.

Nah, it wasn't possible. At least, as far as he knew. For all he knew Elsa was still a young woman, barely into her twenties ? He'd have to look it up when they got back to Arendelle.

At least, that was the plan. He knelt down next to Marcus and searched his pockets carefully. "Alright, Stevens was it ?" Mark said, Stevens nodded "Was there any files or anything that was given to you, orders, information, reasons of why you went after her ?" he jerked his head in the directtion of Elsas helpless sleeping form.

He nodded, "Kitchen shelf, over the sink" Came the reply. Blackmane went to it and opened it, taking out a stack of binders. "Everything in that cabinet is the entire mission, all the info, the locations, and the people we aimed to look into to try and find you." Blackmane leafed through it, nothing was named, only numbered as a casefile. She handed one to matthew, the other she handed to Mark.

Mark took the file and opened it. Leafing through it he found several pictures, almost all of them of Elsa, somewhere in Arendelle, and in each shot Mark noticed she was barefoot. Then he saw the ice. Ok, yes, there were CIA spies inside Arendelle, and this was apparently a reunion tour. "So let me get this right; you got pictures of the Queen of Arendelle, without her knowledge" He removed a shot of Elsa, she was standing in the middle of the Ice Rink courtyard looking quite beautiful. "How did you get this ?" He growled in anger at Stevens.

"I did not, he had the file when he joined up with me" Stevens pointed at Marcus, who laid at Marks feet. Mark kicked the man again.

"Great, today just got worse. Matthew, Blackmane, give me the files and a few minutes. I'm going to go through this carefully, and memorise it all, then burn it so nothing is left." Mark said, everyone knew exactly how Mark burned items, nothing was left because birdshit burnt so fircely anything it was with was completely and utterly destroyed. Mark took the files from his friends and went to the table to begin reading.

Snowfeather turned to Stevens "And so you got roped into all of this, why ? Do not say it was because of your local knowledge. Something more to you tells me otherwise." The calm woman had a deadly look on her face, which made Stevens nervous.

"Alright, you got me, I'll tell you what I know. The CIA are searching for two people, Mark Wolfe, and Matthew Michaels; it all concerns a weapon or some such sent out from Oslo, we were contacted when the post office at the cia building in America was raided and a item stolen, it was to be delivered with a pay on delivery notice. The item never arrived at the CIA office in question for it."

"So the CIA arer not just after us because of who we are, but because of the weapon we carry. Correct ?" Blackmane asked, her hidden blade flickered briefly into view. Stevens nodded "Good, then perhaps you can do us a favor, get this on the road once more, but this time back the way we came from, away from where you are intending to go. Your life is at stake. Understand ?"

The man nodded and began getting the RV ready to move. Mark observed several items of note on the dreamshare screen, iit is far too much like the Animus training program/i He thought seeing the memory coriddor as he saw Elsa searching frantically for her parents and sister within it. This wasn't good, was not good at all.

Matthew sat across from him, going through the stack of pictures, almost all of them were of Elsa, and a scant few of them of himself. "And here I thought I looked good enough for the workmanship it seems; never was good looking for a camera" He mused, seeing several pictures of himself, his sword, and teaching Elsa to sword fight with her own ice sword.

Mark snickered "heh, funny coming from you, normally I shy away from such things." He said

"How is your face ?" Matthew asked. He knew of the debacle at the ice palace, Anna had told him everything. Along with Mark and Kristoff giving their input with Snowfeather clearifiying their details. Mark had been hit, but briefly by the crumbling ice.

"It'll heal" Mark replied, it was not the first time he'd been cut by ice in the face, and he knew it wouldn't be the last. The mark on his forehead was not cold anymore and the Healer said the scar would disappear within a few months. "Anna was right, had I gone after Elsa when I wanted to, I'd be dead. Look at this" He put a map and few pictures down on the table, "This area here," He pointed out a building, "We found this cabin empty; dead men all around it, but these two here," He pointed by the fjordside. "Were dead but not by gunfire, but frostbite. They were frozen solid."

"They swam in the fjord to get her out. Why ?" Matthew said

"We also found firerope in the cabin, it seems Hans tied Elsa up in firerope, and then kept her under guard in the cabin before the CIA showed up and cleaned out the place, taking Elsa with them in hopes of getting to us." Mark said.

"Explains a lot, good thing too, Elsa has no burns on her; she is only soaking wet. So the firerope was only needed to tie her up, it was not activated by open flame nor her powers." Matthew surmised thoughtfully.

Finally Matthew nodded, "Alright it makes sense, Elsa fell from her Ice Palace, but landed in the fjord, when she hit the water the cold did not harm her, no signs of frostbite on her as far as I can tell, the Healer will have to take a careful look for us to be sure." Matthew said.

Marak nodded "I agree" He went back to the file. As Elsas voice rang out in the back of the RV.

Getting everyones attention, including Stevens, who looked quite scared. But since he was the only one that knew how to drive the massive RV, he was allowed to remain awake and unharmed. "Where in the name of the North Mountain am I ?" When Mark and the others traded looks Elsa tried to roll onto her back. Not even caring that she was soaking wet at that moment. But when she was unable to so much as move her own head she asked. "Why wont my body move ?" The day had just gone to hell in a handbasket. Mark sighed, this was going to be a long day.

 **Inside the Dream**

" _Do you want to see what it unlocks ?_ " He had asked her. Mark had asked her if she ever wondered what her necklace unlocked. And when he said he could show her exactly what it unlocked, she handed it over. Her hand touched his, and briefly, just briefly something felt off about him. He felt more real than anyone else on the ship! What did that even mean ? Was she dreaming all of this ?

When he held up the necklace she too heard the strange clicking noise. It confused her greatly, but as she moved to speak, blackness overtook her completely. Gone was the family yacht, gone was the dress pattern her parents had picked out and she modified, gone was her parents! _No!_ She thought Almost ready to scream out for them. ' _Mother! Father! Anna! Please! Do not leave me!_ ' Her mind reeled from the blackness that surrounded her. She couldn't even see her own hands! Just blackness. And then from nowhere came white lines in a strange corridor shape of sorts.

All of it was replaced by seemingly a grid of some form, lines of white light were everywhere around her, it was as if she was walking on an invisible floor as she moved around before she felt herself pulled away from even that. All she could think about was her father and mothers loving smiles to her as she made her own dress for the first time. Or was it the first time ? Suddenly time had no meaning for her whatsoever. She felt as if she were floating on a cloud, laying on one in fact as the strange surroundings disappeared from around her and she blacked out completely.

Waking up briefly in a memory it seemed.

 **2 May 2050**

 **Arendelle**

 **Roughwater District**

 **Sunrise**

Elsa rounded a corner, her ice sword dripped frozen blood to the ground, some of it her own as her right hand was cut in many areas, and had been clutching her side to stall some bleeding before casting ice upon the arrow wound in her kidney. She heard voices and moved towards them. "You really think that could work ?" Said a Templar soldier "That will cost you your life! To the gallows!"

"No! Please! I was merely in need of a place to stay!" Screamed out a young woman being jostled around as Elsa peeked around the corner and saw the group. Seeing the dark haired young woman fighting for her life against heavily armed and armored enemies with nothing but her fists and a broken dagger made the Queens blood boil as ice formed at her feet.

Stepping into view she threw a shard of a snowflake at one of the men "Let her alone!" Elsa shrieked at the group as the man fell like a sack of weat to the ground stone dead. Those remaining turned as one towards her, weapons ready, one made to strike, Elsa easily blocked and then slugged the man in the face hard, sending him to the ground as her ice sword stabbed him in the chest in one deft move. With a spray of red blood she wrenched her sword from the dead man and easily sidestepped a second.

A third tried to grab the front of her dress to throw her, but she reacted quickly, grabbing the offending hand, causing the man to let go as quickly as he grabbed her as she twisted it, the man turned and she kicked him in the ass, sending him flying into one of his fellows, they both crashed into a scaffold, causing it to fall onto them, killing them both instantly.

"Get her!" The men refused to believe the woman using a sword of ice was the queen and ten more Templars suddenly appeared, swords ready for use, one scampered forwards to strike, Elsa easily broke his arm then his balls, then his neck in one nicely time two step. The man sank to the ground in a heap as Elsa twriled on her feet like a dancer. Snowflakes flying from her fingertips, two more men sank to the ground, frozen solid where they shattered.

Now in a dance of death, something she had yet to get fully acustomed to doing, Elsa defened, parried, and struck, along with counter attacked the templar soldiers. There were seemingly dozens of the men trying to take her down good and proper. At least until some vigilanties were there to give a hand. Now thanks to the vigilanties in the district, Elsa was able to concentrate on four soldiers trying to take her down. Then when those were taken care of she could easily take down, one at a time, her enemies.

Finally after an hour of hard fighting, Elsa had a breath and time to be calm. Dozens of soldiers laid on the street, all of them slain, and none of them hers. Only two of which were frozen and broken; she turned to the woman the original five had been harrassing. "You neeed not fear, are you alright ?"

"I am. Thank you for helping me ma'am. I wish there was a way I could repay you, I hear the Queen is one of the fabled Assassins, I wish to join them." the woman said, Elsa smiled.

"The queen indeed is, come, let us put your skills to good use" Elsa said to her. "What is your name ?"

It was then that the woman realised who she was talking to. "I am Georgina, your highness." She said

"Welcome to the Brotherhood, Georgina, see Blackmane in the Marketplace District, I've a den to clear out and a District to reclaim." Elsa said, Georgina smiled and with a bow she turned and scampered off as more soldiers filtered onto the street and saw the bodies, Elsa blended into the background and soon quickly slipped into an alley and scampered to the rooftops. From there she went to the nearby Templar den, it was time to take down the Den Captain.

She followed his footsteps carefully. Moving with speed and care she tracked him far enough and threw a single snowflake before turning and scampering up the signal tower. Since she was barefoot when she did her den reclaiming, the templars were slowly learning to counter the barefooted queen with either grease slicked, or recently poorly sanded tower walls. But they failed to take in her ice as she easily scampered up the tower and waited a few seconds to a minute as the templar captain down below froze and fell apart.

She lit the signal fire and then she swan dove off the signal tower to the fjord stream below in a perfect dive as the world went completely black once again as the memory came to a close and she started to wake up.

 **Reality**

Slowly reality caught up to her as she heard voices. Voices she recognised clearly. And yet, she was still quiet sleepy. She recognised Mark, Matthew, and also Georgina, and maybe either Snowfeather or Blackmane, but that last mans voice she did not recognise at all. He did however sound respectful, almost fearful the more she thought about it actually.

An eye opened; staring seemingly at nothing, no focus. A few seconds to a moment passed and her other eye opened. Soon she managed to focus , she felt movement, as if her whole body was moving. She heard a low rumble as well. As if an engine was running.

Slowly, her sleep addiled mind became aware of what she was in, or rather what she was on. A bed, inside of a room she was not familiar with. A room that moved. She heard Mark mention something of a waterbed, and it made her wonder, what was a waterbed ? She tried to speak, but her body refused to work, she laid there, just breathing, blinking at the wall unable to do much more then that for many long moments.

She was helpless and she hated being helpless, she went carefully over what happened recently. She had taken her sister, and Mark, and Snowfeather, and Kristoff, Olaf and Sven to her ice palace for the week. She remembered it now clearly. Too clearly.

She was unable to speak, or even move her head, all she could do was blink and stare at the wall with pretty wall paper, which reminded her of her bedroom. Which made her wonder, if it was her bedroom, why was there the sense of movement ? Where was she being taken to ? She remembered hanging from Marks hands at her ice palace, screaming at him to pull her up, then nothing.

She remembered the feeling of getting suddenly sleepy, as if she hadn't slept in a long time, and it just took over. The feeling of falling, and then, blackness.

Why was she wet ?

She tested her vocal cords quietly, unheard by the others in the rv. She felt she had control after getting her mouth working. But she couln't move. She was helpless. So she asked aloud, her voice sounding rather sleepy. "Where in the name of the North Mountain am I ?" She tried to lay on her back, but her body just flat out refused to move. It was like she could only look around in one direction, and speak, nothing more. So she ventured a question "Why wont my body move ?"

The only answere she got in reply was "Welcome back to the land of the living, Elsa" It was Snowfeather that spoke, but Elsa couldn't see her as she was staring at nothing but the wall of the RV as it moved along the road at a good speed.

"Can someone tell me what is happening, and why I am not in my Ice Palace as per the yearly plan ?" Elsa said, more of a request then a demand really, she wanted to know just what the hell happened while she was out, and why she was soaking wet, and why she was on a bed in a RV.

"Well, looks like I will have to explain" Mark said, "I... no there is to much, let me sum up" Mark corrected himself and then said, "Four days ago we had dinner after a tour and then some bandits broke in, you were knocked out by one of Hans goons, while we fought them off, you were captured and held in a cabin, the CIA showed up while we were cleaning out the ice palace and then when we tried to find you at the cabin you were two days ahead of us. So Matthew and I joined your dream to wake you up. How do you feel ?" Mark rattled off a list of what occurred while she was asleep

"Hans knocked me out ? With what ? I remebmer something striking me, I can't move my body and its getting hard to breathe" Elsa said, Blackmane went over and helped Elsa lay on her back rather than nearly drown on the water that soaked her while laying on her side. Elsa saw her hand hooked up to something. "Icicles, What is that thing ? What am I hooked up to ?"

"Dreamshare device, its a long story but what it allows us to do is join your dream, or other peoples dreams." Blackmane replied; "It is also something of a training program as well for all our Brotherhood members to underrgo during their training, Consider this your first lesson, at some point we'll go through hooking up and activating the dreamshare directly."

"OK that explains hat I am hooked to, but not of why can't I move, where are we ?" Elsa asked

"You were hit with a sleeper dart, you were knocked out by one of Hans men; since you just woke up, it will be a few hours more before you can move, the good thing is, you're awake, but the bad thing is, you can't move, you can speak and see though, so that is also good as well."

"Yes" Elsa replied in a sarcasctic tone, "I can scream, but can do nothing to defend myself, perfect." Elsa grumbled. Blackmane snickered "You're enjoying this aren't you ?"

Blackmane smiled "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't, to be honest, Elsa. It is worth relaxing, you're safe now." To be honest; Blackman was enjoying it only so far, she enjoyed the fact that Elsa was helpless, but she did not enjoy the fact she had to wait on her until she had control of her body back

"So you are enjoying waiting on me, or me being helpless, which is it ?" Elsa asked Blackmane, who did not know how to respond to that question, provoking into silence Elsa sighed and stared at the ceiling, "Alright, new question, were am I ?"

"On the road curtesy of the CIA, we'll be home soon though. Arendelle's streets are too narrow to be able to take this rig into the kingdom itself, so we'll have to get dropped off somewhere. Kristoff said he'd meet up with us" Georgina said from the doorway, "And it will be hopefully soon as well, I want to be away from this rig before these dorks wake up" Georgina kicked one of the CIA men in the side, all of them tazed out.

Even though she was unable to move, Elsa agreed whole heartedly with what Georgina hoped for. The sooner she was in her own bed, the happier Elsa would be. The queen threw a look at Blackmane, who nodded and left the bedroom of the RV, moments later after some terse words were had between Mark and Blackmane, Mark stepped into the bedroom and closed the door behind him.

As soon as he had taken a seat, she spoke. "What happened Mark, please, tell me everything."

At first Mark did not want to tell her that he had lost his grip on her hands, she had gone completely limp upon being hit with the sleeper dart, her grip went slack, and he lost her. He sighed, mentally steeling himself for what was to come from Elsa he spoke the truth, he explained everything. From the second the sleeper dart hit the rope, to joining her dream to wake her up. "Though I see now that I might have woken you too soon" He said.

She smiled, or rather, tried to, "It is alright Mark, thank you." Honestly, she was happy he told her everything. Even how Anna had stopped him from jumping after her when she fell from her ice palace. "The ice palace, is it, safe, is it repaired ?"

Mark nodded "Yes, Snowfeather repaired it as best she could, merged her magic with yours"

"And Hans ?" Elsa asked, "I bet he had something to do with this, I caught his brother in my bedroom a few days ago." To her it felt like she had slept but one night. Not several days.

"Indeed has a part to play" Mark said, "Or rather had a part to play in this mess. The CIA are after Matthew; Hans dosen't know it yet that we managed to get to you before you were taken somewhere else. Far worse then you could have ended up" Mark then explained the way the Dreamshare worked as he gently rermoved the thing from her right middle finger. "As far as Hans is aware, you're locked up under guard at a cabin about two miles under your ice palace. You hit the fjord on the way down, after that you must have gone with the current a ways, the cabin is directly under the ice palace, possibly about a mile or so. How big did you make that thing anyhow ?"

"Big" Elsa replied, she took it in like a sponge, looking with her eyes, as she still was unable to move her head she asked "Why am I still wet ? Where are we going ?"

Mark sighed, "Sadly there's no towels in this rig, we're headed back to Arendelle, Thankfully the driver of this thing knows what he is doing, as soon as we're within the kingdoms boundary line, we're stopping, Snowfeather will activate a transport array to get us to your room." He said. Elsa nodded that made sense.

"I thought I heard Georgina ?" She then said; she had heard her friend hadn't she ?

Mark nodded "Yes, Anna sent her, says hi by the way"

"But how did you get here ? How many is with you ? You, Georgina, Matthew, Snowfeather, did I miss anyone ?" Elsa said, clearly confused, and soaking wet.

"Just Blackmane and Kai, Kai drove the truck, we boarded the RV and knocked out the CIA men that were trying to get information from your mind" Mark explained, "Thankfully they didn't damage anything." He then explained of how damaging such things could be, a dream world was ripe for the picking for the CIA to snatch and grab for information, sadly, they left the dreams barely intact if at all and the dreamere either dead or driven mad.

Thankfully Elsa's dreamworld was too dangerous for even Mark to try to enter without permission, In this case, in the first dream she had, somehow the Kraken showed up, killed everyone, and she woke up in the cabin on the same ship, but those men were gone. And Mark and Matthew had shown up. "Thank you Mark, for saving me from those men." Her body couldn't move still as the RV came to a slow halt. They were almost there. It was still a few more hours untuil she got full motor control back.

She sighed, "I hate this, I'm soaking wet, not at home, not at my ice palace where I wanted to be in the first place. Instead I'm taken prisoner, why ? What did they want with Matthew ?"

"Apparently he escaped from an insane house, somehow. The CIA had been searching for him, and also because of something he did as well." Mark said in reply, he detailed the mission Matthew had gone on, retrieving Blackmanes hidden blade from the CIA and sending it to Blackmane, which then got the CIA on his trail.

"So after he got the weapon I sent out as the legend said, the CIA, if that is who those men were, went after Matthew, my teacher ? Even though he does not possess the weapon anymore ? I hung it back on where it belonged!" Elsa said

"Exactly" Mark replied "When the CIA get a target, they wont let that target go until they've been eliminated or captured or both" Mark sighed, "So they captured you after Hans got you, then used your dreamstate to try and get information, but, judging by the information and video feeds, they got nothing, the Kraken showed up before they could get anything from your mind."

"The Kraken, yes I remember." Elsa said, she gave Mark a curious look "Do you have a way I can see my dream those men were in ?" There was something important on her mind, something concerning her parents, her father mostly. "How did Matthew say it, review ?"

"Sure, Soon as we're in Arendelle's boundaries again I'll have a copy ready for you to read, youi wanted everything on paper right ?" Mark said, Elsa nodded, that was that. Now all she had to do was wait as she felt the RV slow. Soon she would be in her own bed again. Dry, clean, in her own room.

All she had to do, was wait.

She hated waiting.


	14. Seqeunce 4 Memory 2

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 4**_

 ** _Memory 2: A Snowflake within a Snowflake part 2_**

 **21 May 2051**

 **Arendelle Outskirts**

 **Greensky District**

 **Noon**

As the RV came to a halt Elsa still had no control of her body and so she asked Mark, "Mark, can you do me a favor ?"

"Of course, what is it ?" Mark asked, already trying not to smile as she said to him.

"Can you get me off this bed ? To home ? To safety ? To my own bed ?" Elsa asked, she wanted to be home, she wanted to be in her own bed. Safe, dry, in her own bedroom. But how ? She was helpless. Unless Mark was going to carry her, Elsa was going nowhere. And she hated that.

"As you wish" Mark replied, He stood up and moved over to Elsa on the bed and picked her up, bridal style, her arms he placed around his neck, she just barely managed on her own to interlock her fingers around his neck as her head lolled a against his shoulder and he gently opened the bedroom door and stepped out as the RV halted. He overheard the driver speaking as he exited the room

"We're here" Stevens said pulling to a halt. "This is as close as I can get you to the city before the roads are too narrow for me to move or turn." Stevens was worried over what might happen to him as Snowfeather remained seated in the passenger side the entire trip back to Arendelle. But now only Stevens had seen it. Or the very northern most outskrts of the kingdom. Greensky District was a farming area, it was vast and mostly hills and woodland. But the roads were stupidly narrow and very hard to navigate. Everyone in Arendelle used muledeer to get around, sometimes small rigs like gold carts since the arrival of Snowfeather and some technology to get around the kingdom. But after The transportation arrays were set up, things rolled smoother than normal.

The entire drive Matthew sat beside a printer, printing everything down on paper as Elsa wanted to know as much as she dreamed about, saving everything to hard disc as well, The dreamshare technology allowed for dreams to be captured, and then extrapolated into an audiovisual format for later reviewing. In this case Elsa said she was after something important that meant a lot to her, Something she knew that in her life, if her mother were still alive, she'd approve of what she wantd to have done. Matthew printed everything of conversation that Elsa had with the CIA members she met up with. The chats she had with her parents, her sister, heck even with Mark, and rescuing Georgina from the Templars the year before!

But that never made Stevens nervous, the thing that made him nervous was Snowfeather sitting next to him, a gun of unknown type aimed at him; which made him nervous. It was not the typical taser either. Which meant that there was trouble afoot. He stared when he saw Mark exit the bedroom, Elsa in his arms in a bridal style. "How is it possible that you can move her without worry ?"

"Simple" Came the curt reply, Elsa, in Marks arms, had her head against his left shoulder; Mark moved in such a way that she could see the man without worry of hurting herself as she could not move her head. "I trust him with my life." She told Stevens, So she spoke to him, man did her voice ring clear. Ice flaked off her soaking form, vaproating before it touched the floor as Mark moved to the door of the RV to let them outside. Blackmane was waiting, an active transport array already set up to Elsas bedroom for Mark to go through. Followed quickly by Matthew.

As soon as they were gone Blackmane had also disappeared into the array transported elsewhere, the burning marks on the ground fading away allowing her marks to be unseen as being used. One moment they were there, the next, they were gone.

But Stevens was left with Snowfeather, and that other woman, Georgina, of all those that were on the RV with him, Snowfeather was the most dangerous. He had no idea of what Georgina could do, or would do to him should he try anything wrong. But when Snowfeather motioned to get the rig into gear again he did so while asking. "Where to ?"

"Oslo, where you were headed, there is a campground just within the Oslo city limits, you are to park there." Snowfeather replied calmly. The man nodded, he could do that easy.

Ten hours later and Snowfeather tasered the man, knocking him out as well, then she and Georgina went into the city, they had a contract to finish, and that was fuck with the CIA a little bit to get them out of Arendelle to leave Elsa alone.

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Elsas bedroom**

 **Moments later**

Ah home. Blackmane came through first and helped get Elsa dried off. Since Elsa was unable to really move, or control herself, she was unable to actually let go of Marks neck as he laid her in the bed, which had a comoical situation arise briefly as Blackmane came up and gently unlocked Elsas fingers to let her lay comfortably in her own bed for once. "Finally home!" Elsa said softly, her body still limp, she had very tiny feeling in her fingers and palms, but that was it so far. Now that she was home, safe, unhurt, she asked to both Mark and Matthew, as well as Blackmane, "Alright, spill it, what happend while I was... away ?" She knew Hans was in town; so there had to be news on him

Mark smiled at her question. "Nothing we haven't already told you, My Queen." He said, straightening his back and lowering his hood, brushing his hair to the side as it hung in his face currently. He made sure to use his right hand to brush his hair away; as his left arm was, as usual, covered by his _Duradaeden_ Gauntlet; complete with nerely silent joints in the elbow, wrist, and fingers. The menacing claws at the tips of the fingers were supremely sharp, and he made sure not to let them get past Elsa's dress while he was carrying her.

"A firefight or two between Hans' goons and the CIA, you getting tossed into that RV; hooked up to a dreamshare device. Then we came in and commondeered the RV, I woke you up from that dream, it was all kind of a blur, really." He joked with her, smiling softly as he rolled his fingers a few times, rejuvinating them in case Elsa wanted him to carry her anywhere else. While he spoke he also absently adjusted the gauntlet around his arm; which really was more of a glove made of _Duradaeden_ with joints.

"Anything to add to that?" Mark turned his head to face him, his eyes also going to Blackmane for a second, his fingers still rolling in and out in a wave-like motion. _I'll need to fine-tune the joints soon..._ he thought to himself.

"Only that Georgina showed up at Anna's insisting. And that I brought along the dreamshare to finish the reviewing." Matthew said, he turned to Elsa, "Whatever you dreamed up to keep the CIA out of your head worked, they were unable to do anything to your mind while they were in there." He told her, turning his gaze briefly to Mark he said, "What do you feed that bird anyhow ?"

"You mean the Kraken ?" Elsa asked, she hadn't really dreamed it up per sei, she really just wanted that one guy, that CIA guy she was not told, out of her view. That was when the kraken struck, and she woke up inside her bed on the ship... but it was all a dream ? Matthew nodded, still going through the info; "Well, I wanted the guy gone, he made me nervous, I guess I... might have just dreamed it all"

Blackmane caught Marks brief eyeshot and a barely decernible shake of her head was given to him, She'd speak to him in a second, once they left Elsa to get some much needed rest. But it was Elsa who got their attention again when she asked about a certain painting in her dream that included Anna and their parents, with her and Anna as adults

Blackmanes gaze went from drying her friend off carefully with some towels to Marks hand, back to Elsa, her thinknig pattern paced it all out and then hopefully recognised Marks unasked question, Her eyes sought his, and when they connected she shook her head again, just barely if at all decernible to even Matthew or Elsa at that moment, No, Mark hadn't damaged Elsas dress, otherwise Elsa would be complaining of the damage.

Mark caught the faint shake of Blackmane's head and nodded, looking away to look back to Elsa. When his eyes met Blackmane's again, he once again caught the shake of her head, and after a second longer of rolling his fingers, he stopped, letting his arm drop and hang loosely at his side as he relaxed, reaching up his right hand to once again brush his hair from his head. i'I'll also need to get a hair-cut.../i he thought, an amused smirk tugging at his lips once more before gave a slight bow to Elsa and took a few steps away, towards the door; waiting for Blackmane and Matthew; or at least Blackmane, to go out so he could follow them.

While Blackmane was drying off Elsa, Mark quickly found himself bored, so with another small bow, he left the room and proceeded to amuse himself by humming a tune he'd known since he was a child. He could never remember where he learned it from, but he was always humming it; occasionally singing a few words here and there. He also looked at one of the tapestries on the wall, his hands behind his back.

As Mark left her bedroom Elsas eyes watched him, for the moment ignoring Blackmane as the man she trusted with her life stepped from her room. He even bowed. How many times had she told him not to bother with the bowing ? Every time, but he still did it, it annoyed her a little bit, but not enough to be too annoying if much at this point; Matthew gave her a look, since she couldn't move or not she simply looked at Matthew, then to her door, as if telling him he could leave. Matthew nodded, and with the dreamshare device, which he promised to have everything for her when she was back on her feet, in tow, he followed silently after Mark

 **Arendelle Portrait Gallery Hall**

 **Moments later**

Matthew found Mark a few moments later, in the painting gallery hall. Admiring one of the many paintings as he stepped up to his friend and fellow Assassin, for a long moment nothing was said, finally Matthew said, "Blackmane told me about your adventure on the Bluesparrow; how in the world you got the sailors to send Snowfeather over the rail into the water I will never know. I take it Snowfeather never found out ?" He had a slight smile on his face as he held out a plain brown envelope. "This is what Elsa was speaking about. the painting she dreamed commissioned; I think it would be wise to at least have it painted for her to see outside the dreamworld. Dont you think ?"

Matthew then saw the painting that Mark had stopped at, A year after becoming queen Elsa had ordereed the black cloth removed from her parents painting. Having it hung where everyone could see it when visiting the castle, commonors and staff alike. For a long moment he wondered why Mark had stopped at that painting before saying. "The King and Queen of Arendelle, Elsa's bloodline runs through her mother, not through her father as most believe. You read their histories yet ?"

Mark felt Matthew's presence, but did not act upon it; he knew the man's intent from the feel of the room. As he spoke of his little adventure on the Bluesparrow, Mark chuckled, his head bowing slightly. "How? Simple; I told the crew to do it; told 'em it'd be hilarious." He explained. "It was, in case you were wondering." He chuckled again. Ah, yes, how he remembered that. Spoke Nordic to the crew, too! Poor Snowfeather had no clue about it; in fact, he'd done it as a spur of the moment thing, too.

He took the envelope and opened it, taking the picture out and looking at it, a small smile on his face, and he nodded in agreement. "I agree, we should have it painted for her...her and Anna both." He smiled, putting it back into the envelope and handing it back to Matthew, letting out a deep breath before turning back to the painting of Elsa's parents, a small smile on his face as well.

"Of course I read their histories... The bloodline is mostly female; and it is always the daughter that is given the power; the Prince moves off to another Kingdom for marriage." He explained, recalling the history of the lineage of Arendelle from the books he'd frequently been found with in his lap as he had passed out in the Castle Library; stacks of books piled high on the table. Often he was either found by Kai, or by Elsa, who was looking for him. Occasionally Snowfeather found him and woke him up with a few smacks to the face or a good slug to the gut.

With the humming of his deep, soothing voice continuing, he moved over to the next painting, just taking a moment to admire its beauty before turning to Matthew. "How are we going to make sure the CIA Doesn't screw with us? I know Snowfeather and Georgina are probably taking care of it now as they're not here, but still. What if they only slow down the CIA? We can't fight a two front war; you know that. We're spread too thin as it is; not many wish to join our cause, it seems." He sighed shaking his head.

"Snowfeather and Georgina are currently screwing with them now, they're after me, and now you. They never met them, but they will now. Snowfeather according to their databases in Egypt is considered deceased, not worth going after, but when they find her alive and knowing Georgina, nothing will be left alive, if they can help it they'll completely ransack the building, take all the data into one of Snowfeathers discs, and then ruin the servers there before activating a transport array and returning here." Matthew said, he sighed, Elsa had managed, in only one year, to recruit only Georgina. Who rose up the ranks quickly. A native of Arendelle Georgina had lost her son to the Templars a year before Elsa saved her and Georgina joined their cause, she prooved a wonderful student, and good friend.

"Elsa's birthday is on the Winter Solstice, just over six months from now, I want you to consider this task as a contract, find a painter who can paint this the same size as that painting, of their parens. Exactly like this image from her dream. If Elsa requests to have it done, say you will look into it, because doubtless it will be begun as soon as we part ways here." Matthew explained, he held the evelope to Mark, for the man to take.

Matthew then smild, "Tell me again why you were captain in the dream and I was not ? Was that planned, or something the dream came up with directly ?" Matthew then asked out of the blue, "And don't say it was because your Ford Probe of a Eagle that made you the captain. It was through Ulnaus, yes, that we were able to track Elsa's location in the dreamworld" And Matthew did not know it, but Mark had pretty much imprinted Elas's dress in that dream into his mind for something later, "But that does not explain the why."

"As of this moment I want you to worry of two things, just like I was to worry of two things. Elsa, and liberating districts. The Templars remaining have grown bolder, in a few of the templar dens they have not only roughpapered the tower walls, but also greased it, and in two cases, had that grease coiled with firerope. If Elsa gos up any of those towers barefoot..." Matthew did not have to say what Firerope could do to Elsa, it pretty much negated, and reversed her ice magic, and then directly harmed her. Thankfully it did not harm her when Hans had her tied up in that cabin. "I will worry about the CIA, agreed ?.. Of course once you begin this contract, consider it a... passive contract, check it once a week, it must be ready in time for the Queens birthday."

Mark turned his head as Matthew mentioned Elsa's birthday. He knew how Snowfeather and Georgina would work together to ruin the CIA in Oslo. He took the envelope once more and placed it in a pocket on the inside of his coat, nodding in agreement with Matthew's orders to him about the picture. "It would be a pleasure to have it painted for her Highness. I'd say that after what she's been through recently, she deserves it as early as next week; but her Birthday will do just fine." He said, smiling.

Mark then smirked as Matthew asked about his being captain and laughed. "That? That was planned." he smirked. "After all; I have to have a little fun here and there." He chuckled, patting Matthew on the shoulder. "Oh, and in answer to your question as to what I feed him; Only the finest Templar soldiers that make me break a sweat in combat." He laughed again, before becoming serious about his mission to otherwise protect Elsa and Liberate Districts.

"Their boldness in defending those signal towers concerns me greatly. The last one I liberated I almost fell from; had it not been for the claws of my guantlet, I'd have never gotten up that wall." he opened his palm, the claws shining in the lightcoming through the window. "Unfortunately...they couldn't let me save her from that fall..." He turned away, closing that menacing hand into a tight fist as he sighed with a frown on his face.

"I will see to it that another district is liberated tomorrow, and that a painter starts work immediately on the painting." Mark said, turning to face the painting again.

"Once struck with the dart, there was nothing that you could have done to keep her from falling nearly two miles into the fjord below her ice palace. If I were you at that time I'd have jumped after her." Matthew said thoughtfully, Mark had a good sense there to follow Anna's advice of the cold, it never bothered Elsa, and as far as anyone, even Matthew could see, Elsa was completlty unharmed at that moment. "We will have to think up new ways to light those signal fires." He then said.

"Good, Let me worry about the CIA, We dont want them here in Arendelle; its bad enough they found her ice palace as it is." Matthew replied, he gave a look at Mark concerning his plans in Elsas dreams. "The good thing is, I reviewed everything, Elsa's mind defended itself against intrusions by the CIA, the Krakan is native to Norse legends; as a means to protect herself the dreamworld made the Kraken appear. Though how it can destroy a cruiseliner as big as the Disney Magic is beyond me" He said

"Ensure that the firerope is removed, or better, have someone or several someones with crossbows ready to fire to make a ladder for Elsa or you to climb up once the Templar Den Captain is killed. Or, think of a way to ensure that the towers are undefended, no grease, or firerope, or anything of the sort on it. Do it secretly, unexpectedly. They douse the towers at the changing of the guards. Catch them before they change guards and replace their ranks with some of our own to ensure the next district to liberate is defenses down. And let Elsa set the signal fire."

It was then that Blackmane arrived; as she did Matthew smiled and nodded to Mark concerning the painting, mouthing the words 'do not tell anyone of this contract gift for Elsa and her sister' As Blackmane stepped into earshot Matthew said. "I'll see to the CIA, plot a way to keep them from entering Arendelle." With that he turned and left the hall of paintings. Leaving Blackmane with Mark.

Which spelled trouble.

There was no way to keep secrets from Blackmane, from Snowfeather maybe, but Blackmane, never!

Mark listened to Matthew's instructions and nodded in agreement. "Some of our men are spread too thin as it is. I will have to use my birds." He said. Ulnaus is large and strong enough to carry me to the top of any tower in Arendelle." He spoke with an air of pride about Ulnaus; his pet, his friend... his creation. At the mention of Elsa lighting the next signal fire, he shook his head. "No...if she's anything like a normal woman, she's going to be extremely sore as her feeling returns to her body." He said calmly. "Trust me...I know; I've had a few run ins with friendly fire during my time with the CIA." He sighed, tilting his head from side to side; his neck popping loudly as he sighs contentedly, seemingly relaxed by it.

As Blackmane arrived, Mark's head turned and he smiled, nodding to her in greeting. As Matthew left the room, Mark nodded. "Sounds great, I will see about those towers." He said, nodding as he exited before returning his gaze to Blackmane.

"What is it?" he asked respectfully, raising his eyebrows with the question and placing his hands behind his back.

Blackmane had heard the tail end of the arguement, "That dart was not CIA issue, they dont deal in four day, only one day or at best, two day. This was a custom job" She held the dart in her hands. "She'll have pins and needles feeling soon, so if it starts snowing tonight, dont panic, that's why." Blackmane said, Elsa had regained only scant feeling in her fingertips. The robed woman stood tall, her long black hair mostly loose yet kept from her face.

She knew that Mark was beating himself up over things. "There was nothing you could do, The fact we were able to get her out of that RV the CIA had is good enough for her, and she thanked you for it herself, remember ?" Blackmane had the hearing, and sight, of a cat, which allowed for much. But even in a castle like that of Arendelle was not really possible to hear everything. And as far as Blackmane was concerned, Elsa's thanking Mark, and Mark carrying her to safety pretty much said that there was nothing to forgive or get mad over whatsoever between them.

"As soon as Elsa in on her feet again, there is something I want you to teach her, that is, if you still know how to activate a transportation array ?" Blackmane said, transport arrays were designs cast as a mandela type spell of sorts upon the ground, like runes of sorts. Activating a secure path to another location. Most of the time it was the first thing an Assassin learned under Blackmane and Snowfeather. heck it was one of the reasons the Assassin Dens in Egypt did not even have doors to begin with! It was very easy to teach, and each array was unique to the person activating it. Transport Arrays could transport goods, or people, great distances.

Mark blinked slowly as Blackmane explained the sleeper dart. "Even so; I'd rather her not be climbing any buildings for a few days afterwards; sleeperdarts do have a bit of a habit of not fully going away for a while." he said; speaking from past experience again. He remembered a few days after being hit with a day-long sleeper dart, that his fingers gave out on him while a routine training exercise, causing him to fall and fracture his arm.

He pushed that thought from his mind and sighed, holding up a hand and stopping Blackmane from speaking more about it. "It's fine. I'll get over it with time..." He said, smiling softly. "I'll take her thanks for now, and move on." He added calmly. Mark found himself lucky that Elsa was no ordinary human; a fall from that height would kill someone on impact with the water, and if not, the cold would definitely kill someone within minutes. With that in mind, he could feel as though he never betrayed Elsa's trust of him with her life.

Transportation array? Oh right! "Of course I still remember. I may be a bit rusty... let's see... open it by ..." his eyebrows furrowed. "No...I don't remember." He said. "I' haven't needed to use them for a while by myself as I've been always within walking distance or with either you or Snowfeather, or someone else who knows how to use them." He admitted. This may come as a surprise to Blackmane; Mark hardly admitted that he didn't know something; and if he didn't, he would usually study it intensely for a few days. But admit that he doesn't know? Or that he forgot? Never!...

Until now, it seems.

Blackmane didn't even smile when he raised his hand to her in order to ask for quiet, "You are thinking of the dream you joined aren't you ?" She didn't even have to ask, seeing Elsa in that other dress, she could see Marks reaction, after all she was watching the feed herself as he was sleeping in the dream. "Relax, its alright. She will be alright. Though... she did ask for you not to worry" Blackmane recounted the brief dialog she and Elsa shared before she left Elsa to regain her strength. not knowing that thanks to her ice magic her strength in her body was going to easily return without a problem; Soon though Blackmane knew the CIA would be back.

Just thinking of the CIA made her chuckle then. "I wonder how they are doing in Oslo right now." She said, meaning her twin sister Snowfeather, and Georgina, Elsas first recruit to the Brotherhood. She got serious, knowing her sister, the CIA had no chances to get anything saved after this contract for some time.

Her gaze then went to the painting on the wall, it showed the Queen, Idun, with Elsa, her daughter, a newborn, in bed. Mother and child some called it. And that got her thinking of something important. Or rather someone. Looking below the picture at the wall Blackmane saw, briefly, barely, marks of ice, a letter of sorts, written on a snowflake or two, letters from Elsa, to her mother. Rather then inspect them, Blackmane chose to let them be.

She sighed and flicked her wrist, as she did so red marks formed on the wood floor. Speaking as she did so "Think of where you want to go. in this case, Elsa wants you, to speak to you. about something in her dream;" Matthew had left the dreamshare device itself in her room, but had taken th hardrive of it for the time being, to give Mark the picture to get painted. "So this transport array leads to her door, just out side it, she said to knock twice then come in. Make sure you lock it behind you." Blackmane then pushed the cart holding the dreamshare device, complete with drives and all, into the transport array, where it disappeared to outside Elsas bedroom door.

"Oh, and you do the motion, like this" She showed Mark, again, how to do the motion with her right hand, either hand can cast it. But it had to be on the ground, even if the ground was unlevel.

Mark was mostly silent as Blackmane talked to him, occasionally nodding to show that he was paying attention. As she showed him how to make the array, he smacked his forehead with his palm, the metal of his gauntlet thunking against his head as he sighed in both pain and agitation that he forgot something so simple. As Blackmane showed him the motion again he mirrorred her, and nodded. Once more he thought of his destination: Elsa's door, and then focused his energy, flicking his wrist out to his side; a deep Bronze set of runes appearing on the ground. A color that he had a deep affection for, but couldn't remember why.

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Elsas Bedroom**

 **Moments later**

With a smile he stepped through the array, appearing in front of Elsa's door. He glanced to the dreamshare device and placed a hand on the cart before knocking twice and entering, pulling the cart with him as his back was turned to Elsa. "You wanted to speak with me, my Queen?" he asked, sure there was no one else in the room, but still being more cautious around those who could be listening right down the hall. He locked the door behind him and pushed the cart over to the bed slightly before moving towards it himself and sitting on the side, turned so he could face Elsa.

Elsa smiled she didn't even have to ask him to come in when he knocked, Blackmane had found him no doubt. She sat on her bed, a half dozen pillows supporting her, her feet felt weird. As Mark came him, she smiled, well, tried to. She could just barely control her facial expressions, but she could blink and speak ok. Barely any feeling in her toes or fingers, and her fingers actually ihurt/i "Yes actually," Elsa said, Blackmane had somehow managed to locate enough pillows to keep her from falling over. Her eyes brightened at sight of the dreamshare device on the cart "Oh good! You brought it" She'd have clapped happy, but she couldn't move still.

She didn't even blush when he sat on the bed and turned towards her. When he said 'my Queen' she tried to glare at him, which ended up just furring her eyebrows, barely so, "Uh Mark, its Elsa, when its just you and me, or even Blackman or my sister or anyone like that, Its Elsa, remember ?" She said to him "How mant times do I have to tell you that ?" It made her somewhat annoyed at times, but then she was trying to get used to it, thankfully Kai got it down, then again Kai was too used to calling her 'Princess' when she was growing up

He smiled and chuckled softly as she scolded him to call her Elsa. "Sorry, Elsa...it's a habit." He said softly to her, placing his hand on hers gently. "Now then... what is you wanted to speak about?" He asked calmly, smiling gently. Oh, how he loved these quiet moments alone with her; time seemed to slow down around them; made it feel like a wonderful eternity.

"How you feeling? Any feeling at all yet?" He asked suddenly, his thumb gently passing over her knuckles a few times, his smooth skin brushing over hers gently, soothingly even. Of course, he mainly did this without noticing it, but when he remembered that he was doing it, he only smiled, chuckling softly.

"My feet feel weird" Came the reply, it was true, it felt like they were on fire, that pins and needles feeling. It would soon pass yes, but until then, it felt really weird! But it was her fingers that actually hurt from that strange pins and needles feeling. "My fingers hurt, like they're being pricked by something. I can't move, I'm helpless in bed. How do you think I feel ?" At least she was dry!

Finally she seemed to focus past her current predictament, "Matthew said there was a device, the thing I... was hooked up to was it ?... Anyway, Matthew said there was a way to... review... what I dreamed ?" She was looking for something, her parents, her father mostly, she had no paintings of her and him together, just him and her mother, then her and Anna as kids with their parents before that unfortunate accident when she was seven. The dreamshare device was hooked up to a laptop, thanks to the modern technology, at least, 1990s era technology, the kingdom did have electricity... to a point, no more gaslamps. But Elsa still used candles in her bedroom and library

Mark chuckled as she spoke about her feet. "Are you sure it's not because you're always barefoot?" He joked with her, patting her hand gently, being sure to not hurt her. "Ah, yes, the needles in your fingers. I would say to rub where you feel the tingle to make the blood flow faster and help you no longer be numb...but that may end up hurting you more, and you're still unable to move in general." He smiled. He then looked at her beautiful eyes and nodded as she mentioned the dreamshare device.

"Yes, you can. Here...let me set it up for you." He then set to work setting it up so that she could easilly could watch her own dreams comfortably. Mark was right by her side, and he stopped the playback where and when she wanted it so she could see her father. He chuckled at his bantering back and forth with Matthew, at at Ulnaus's inability to seemingly care that he was huge and being stared at the entire time. Half the time he was watching the dreams with Elsa, and the other time, he was watching her; her reactions; just to see the emotion in her eyes was enough for him; to know that she was happy.

As she saw her dream, what she had dreamed, all of it. that other world, her mother and father, seeing her father a tear came from her eye. She missed him, she also missed her mother each day. There some things that scared her of that dream, the painter for one she saw had his eyes on her at all times. As if he were sizing her up for something. Then the ship, seeing it again. And then once more, her parents and sister. But before that point she spoke "There" She said, she wanted to point, but couln't, the screen showed her father entering the gallery on the cruiseliner, where she was reading a history book; The way her father was dressed, how he looked. "Is there a way to... save it to paper ?"

It later turned out she wanted more than a single painting done, she wanted several actually, her and her mother was the first one, she had Mark pause the playback and print the scene or whatever it was to get it to paper so she could get it to the royal painter later, then came Her and Anna in the marketplace before heading to the ship, then all four of them briefly before boarding. And then finally, her and her father. Seeing it all. made her want to go back to sleep and see them again, see her parents.

She was happy, happier than she had been in weeks!

Then came the second dream. The banter between Matthew and Mark was enough to make her smile " _The helmsman has a bird, why isn't he captain ?_ " " _Mines bigger_ " " _Your bird isn't a bird, its a frickin' Ford Probe!_ " " _Your point ?_ " A soft giggle escaped her lips. Georgina was right, Mark had saved Elsa in the dreamworld, dressed as a pirate, and survived. She had Mark pause it again, this time of a shot of herself, changing her dress, the snow and ice traveling up her arm changing the very fibres of the cloth of the dress. Asking if she could do it beforehand; which she knew could make her mother smile if she were alive. All in all, seven paintings were desired at that point. One of them was of Ulnaus and her reaching to the massive bird on the prow of the ship.

Mark happily paused and printed out each scene for Elsa, doing so without any hesitation or question. Her happiness was all that concerned him; and if he had to have the entire damn dream painted to make her happy, he'd make it happen. He wouldn't really know how, but he'd make it happen. Of course, there was still that isecret/i painting he'd have commisioned for her in private; no one but the painter, Matthew, and himself would know about it. Maybe Blackmane if she asked...or if she'd snooped around.

As they played through Mark and Matthew's bickering about being captain, Mark chuckled silently, closing his eyes and looking down in mild embarrassment. But then he heard her giggle...oh, what music to his ears! He had made her laugh! Of course, he'd done that plenty of times, but now he knew he could make her laugh even if she's not technically present! Oh, happy days indeed! As he paused the last picture, he chuckled at how nonchalant Ulnaus was while preening his feathers amongst the chaos.

"Crazy bird...he just doesn't care." Mark laughed, printing out the picture for Elsa as requested. After they had finished reviewing the dreams, Mark turned to face Elsa again. "Now then...anything else you require of me, Elsa? Or shall I have the royal painter begin work on these pictures at once?" He asked her, smiling as he again patted her hand, which would be able to move at the wrist by this point at least.

She barely had feeling in her hand, but its strength was there as she suddenly grabbed his hand as he stood. She smiled. "There is one thing" She said softly; her bright sapphire eyes watched him carefully. "After you see to the painter to begin work; tell him to use the best possible paints we have, or send out for better if he must do so. Even if I dreamed of it happening, I want to see it hanging on the wall." She meant the painting she and her family posed for, with her looking up to her father, her hand on his, and his hand on her shoulder and him looking to her. She swallowed as her stomach started to feel weird, at lease her skin did at that point. "After you see to the painter. Can you join me for dinner, in here, tonight ? Just you and I ?"

At this moment, Matthew was busy, which left Mark; well, not just Mark, a sudden **WHAM** was heard outside her window, her eyes jerked in the direction and saw Ulnaus spread eagle on the window, trying to get in "Oh, and open the window would you ?" Not only did Elsa want fresh air in the room, but Ulnaus too!

At the sudden feeling of Elsa's hand closing around his, Mark blinked; almost blushing if it weren't for his smile. "As you wish, Elsa. I'll look into getting the best paints in the kingdom." He said, smiling. At her invitation to dinner with her alone in her room, he finally did blush softly, luckily his long hair and trimmed beard hid it well enough. "I...it would be an honor to join you for dinner, Elsa." He smiled softly, giving her hand a gentle squeeze as he let go and began to turn towards the door.

At the loud crash against the window he sighed, laughing with his head bowed. "Damn bird... gonna get himself killed one day I swear." He muttered, heading over to the window and opening it. Ulnaus stepped through rather awkwardly, and with a few clicks of Mark's tongue, screeched quietly and began to preen himself again. He then turned to Elsa, a smile on his face. "Ulnaus would be more than happy to keep you company while I'm away getting the painter ready to do his job." He said, which prompted a look from Ulnaus that made Mark huff authoritatively and click his tongue again, making the bird go back to preening himself.

Mark walked over to Elsa, and took her hand in his once more, giving the back of it a gentle kiss before setting it down and patting it again. "I shall return soon, Elsa." He smiled, turning and leaving her room without so much as another noise except the opening and closing of her door.

From her place on her bed, unable to move, Elsa giggled at how Mark and Ulanus 'talked' with each other "I didn't know you could do that!" She said, there was a strong sense of renewed adoring for Mark in her tone. And when he came back and kissed her hand she smiled faintly, she still had no control of her body yet, so she'd need help in eating, and that was one of the reasons she wanted Mark with her. She couldn't nod, but her expresison said it all; allowing him to go as he set her hand gently on her bed as Ulanus kept within her eyesight. As the door closed and Mark left Elssa spoke softly, "Please hurry" She already missed him, Her eyes fluttered closed, and with Ulnaus standing guard at her bedside, Elsa fell into a dreamless sleep.

 **21 May 2051**

 **Oslo Norway**

 **Oslo CIA Branch Headquaters**

 **At that very moment**

As Elsa returned to peaceful unhindered slumber, Oslo was just waking up. A nightlife town. Two women, dressed in garments that in some time periods, would be considered outlandiish, or even exotic, but to that day and age, Oslo's nightlife, all sorts of weirdos wandered. Inside an alleypath a transport array of brilliant icy gold sparked into life on the pavement as two women appeared.

"You may want your hood off for this venture, we want them to see us, to send them a message, to leave Elsa alone." Snowfeather said, Georgina nodded. The two stepped into the CIA building across the street. As they walked up to several agents, Georgina struck silently, stepping right up, and stabbing two pairs with her hidden blades, as Snowfeather did the same, the men sinking to the ground in heaps as they moved into the complex.

They stepped through the front door, brazenly so. Security saw them and stalked forwards, hands to their weapons as a dart struck one in the neck, a berzerker poison dart, lethal after about half a minute of crazy dancing. Two gunshots went off as the guard died, striking one of the other security guards, but alerting the entire complex.

Snowfeather smiled. As did Georgina, the latter of whom withdrew her crossbow and locked in a small explosive dart into it and aimed down the side hallway and fired, an explosion rocked the building. There was a half kilo of contact explosive on each tip of the explosive bolts. And Georgina had dozens of the things. Georgina was a walking time bomb.

"Code Red! We're under attack! This is not a drill! Two females by the main entrance, everyone to their stations!" A voice practically screamed over the PA System in the CIA Headquarters. Men in suits and riot gear ran down the hall towards Snowfeather and Georgina, guns and batons out and ready to fire or beat when they got close enough. Currently two men in full riot gear, shields and everything, rushed the two females, shields and batons raised, ready to smash and bash, as they prefered to call it. Bash with the shields, smash with the batons. A simple tactic that almost always worked.

Almost always.

By that point both women had made their way straight to the reception desk. Snowfeather easily vaulted it as Georgina took on the two riot ready CIA agents on duty, setting aside her crossbow on the counter as Snowfeather easily knifed down two more CIA agents. They were going to ruin this building from top to bottom. Maybe leave a few survivors, but once they got what they were after they'd leave. While Snowfeather searched for a floormap of the building. Georgina lured the two riot ready agents into a narrow hall, broke the armor of one, and then shattered the shield of the other before catching one of the Batons in her hand and using the mans weight against him, sending him to the floor in a battered heap, his arm broken both men out of the fight; thankfully not dead

" _How we doing ?_ " Georgina asked in Nordic as she policed both men of their weapons, she then dropped the weapons in a nearby wastebasket

" _Got it! Top floor, take the vents, password is the guys name_ " Snowfeather replied

" _what a Genius, what's the louts name ?_ " Georgina replied

" _Marcus Gray_ " Came the reply, Georgina darted for the vent shaft and started up the inside of the wall very quickly and quietly. this was going to be fun!

As Snowfeather spoke to Georgina, at least eight more goons burst into the room, all chargring at her, three with batons, two with knives, two unarmed, and one with a pistol drawn and ready to fire once he had a clear shot. The three with batons went first, all swinging at different area's of her body in intervals so small they were difficult for the normal person to calculate.

Heh...normal...

the two with knives teamed up with the unarmed two, all slashing at, stabbing for, or throwing punches and kicks at Snowfeather almost all simultaneously. Meanwhile the goon with the gun stayed still at the door, his eyes peeled and his finger on the trigger; just waiting for a clear shot.

Kicking out the chair Snowfeather caught the first baton filled fist, then kocked aisde the second, letting the third almost reach its mark before kicking up and hard with her right foot. Sending the baton flying, she dove forwards then between two of the baton armed men and slid briefly on the floor, kicking out at one of the knife weilders as the phone started ringing. Getting back to her feet she backtracked, blocking and parrying knives, fists and feet Before grabbing up the phone, "Thank you for calling the CIA Oslo branch, can I help you ?" A man with a baton was aiming for her she held the phone to him, causing him to stop, "Its for you"

"Oh, thank you" The man took the phone while setting the baton on the desk "Hello ?" He said into the phone

"Good bye!" Snowfeather said, cracking the baton on the guys head; knocking him out, ducking quickly as the other knife weilder came back at her again she flipped up some papers and swan dove over another desk as she spotted a guy trying to take aim with his own gun. Where was her crossbow ? She gained herself some time; albiet very little. She took out her crossbow and slid a bolt into it. And fired at the light controls. Oslo was a nightlife town. So this building was going to go dark!

That and she needed to get that gunman down too.

The gunman stayed calm as the lights went out, merely moving his gun back and forth much like a sentry turret would do, waiting for the slightest sign of movement. "Come out, come out, wherever you are..." He taunted calmly. "Surely a pretty lady like yourself knows she's not smart? Attacking a CIA building like this..." his taunt continued.

From behind the desk Snowfeather heard the gunmans voice as the other men scrambled searching, some reaching for flashlights to get some light. Focusing her sight she opened her gaze, taking in everything in her Eagle Vision. Perfect. briefly lifting her gaze over the desk in the dark she spotted who she sought. But there were four other men in her way. At least those still standing. She threaded a bolt into here hand crossbow. A deep breath later and she also picked up a stapler.

A distraction.

With a flick of her wrist she sent it flying towards the window wall to her right, beyond the desks with a clatter in the dark; and also clocking one of the already downed CIA agents dead in the face. who suddenly screamed out a loud "Ow!"

Silent as a cat Snowfeather stepped deeper into the darkness and with her eagle vision still active she took aim with the crossbow and fired at the gunman, Smacking her hand at the same time against a door and then ducking away from it as brilliant light enamated from it in the form of strange designs spinning weirdly. Another destraction ?

With each noise the gunman turned his head quickly, pointing the gun with it. He heard a smack on the door and turned, but by then he'd been hit in the shoulder with... a crossbow bolt? "The fuck?" He growled, pained obviously, but apparently having a higher tolerance for it than most of his comrades. His attention was now fully on his shoulder, hissing in pain repeatedly, and cursing obcenties beyond belief under his breath as he tried to carefully remove the bolt from his shoulder without damaging it further.

 _Good I think I got him, he sounds like he's hit_. Snowfeather thought as she moved quietly forwards. Without a sound striking down CIA agents in the dark, able to see them clearly with her eagle vision active. Striking out with her fingers, she stabbed one in the eyes then clocked him solid to knock him out. Another she tripped into his fellow and they both slammed onto a desk, not only knocking themselves out, but destroying the desk too. _Homewreckers, the lot of you!_ She thought

Now it was just her and the gunman. But by then she was closer than point blank range, and she had been shot before at that range. Heck she was possibly on her 8th or 7th life as it was! Then again she wasn't exactly normal to begin with. After all her sister saved Queen Marissa's life six generations before in Arendelle from an Templar plot!

Silently she snuck behind the guy and tapped him on the right shoulder "Looking for me ?" She asked into his left ear, quick as a snake she lashed out at the gun hand and aimed it up. Towards a hanging light fixture cable. But the gunman was quicker than Snowfeather had originally figured. The two danced, seemingly so, at one point the gun was aimed directly at her forehead, however she managed to angle it back up, barely in time as she forced his hand to hit the trigger. A shot rang out. And glass shattered as the light fixture came down and nailed the gunman dad on the top of the head with a smash, Snowfeathe let go of him as he slumped over. With her crossbow put away she dusted off her hands. "Well, that's that!" She said, darting for the back area. It was time to wreck a few more folks

 **CIA Oslo Headquarters**

 **At that very moment**

Georgina stepped into the office, nobody was around but the lights were on. Perfect. She went to the phone and dialed a cell number. She did not have to wait more then a few rings. Finally her intended target answered. " _Marcus Gray_ " Two seconds later she turned off the recorder.

"How's the tazer burns ?" Georgina asked him on speaker phone, looking through the desk drawers, even accessing the computer station.

" _Tazer burns ? Are you in this RV ?_ " Came the answer, a confused question

"If I were in that RV we wouldn't be on this conversation." Georgina replied

" _Very funny_ " Marcus grumbled

"Where are you now ?"

Apparently Marcus thought lying could work. It didn't " _I'm in my office._ "

"I doubt that" Georgina replied.

"Why do you doubt it ?" Maracus asked

" _Because if you were in your office right now, we'd be having this conversation face to face_ " The line died and Marcus swore when he found his quarry gone. He got back on his phone and dialed an aid he'd left in the Oslo HQ, only to get a busy signal.

At that same time Georgina went to the safe and activated it, using the recording to unlock it. Opening it she smiled seeing what she sought; two stacks, both of them of papers and files. Countless papers in fact, pulling out one stack she opened it, she growled under her breath seeing the pictures were almost completely of herelf, Elsa or Elsas sister Anna. This wasn't good. Quickly sticking the stack of files and images into her backpack she went for the second stack and went through it. Aha, this stack had the shots of Matthew, Mark and Blackmane. And what looked like some digital shots of paintings of Elsas ancenstor Marissa. _Snowfeather will want to see this, Mark too._ But she was at a loss then, should she tell Elsa what she found ?

For a long moment she stood in front of the now empty safe, then nodded, She'd tell Elsa first, then Snowfeather and Mark; After all, Elsa did recruit her. She then left the office, taking the stairs down to the lower level and peeking out. Ok. why were the police on the scene ? Ducking out of the stairwell she rejoined with Snowfeather, who was picking through a pile of either knocked out, or in this case actually quite dead, CIA agents bodieies, taking two pistols, and all their ammo. "Shall we get out of here ?" Snowfeather asked

"I agree! Lets!" Georgina replied taking one of the pistols, though Snowfeather could have easily used her crossbow. They had to get to another alley, away from the CIA building, in order to make another transportation array to get out of there.

 **Arendelle**

 **Marketplace District Den**

 **At that same Moment**

The door to the Den opened and Mark entered, lowering his hood and smiling as he took a deep breath of the familiar air. The scented candles, the old papers and books, everything brought him joy. He took only a second to find where the painter was, entering the gallery in which the painter performed his art in silence, a pedastal in the center of the room marked where a model would stand and pose for him; and paintings lined the walls from ceiling to floor.

Mark took a minute to admire the painter's work, whistling in admirance of the works of art before him before turning to the painter himself. "Good day, I have a secret contract that must be fulfilled by the Queen's birthday. Should you choose to accept this; you will be payed handsomely, and have the Queen's, and the Brotherhood's, thanks." He said, offering the envelope with the picture to the painter.

"What say you, my dear painter?" Mark's tone was calm, yet had a sense of... playfulness to it? It was difficult to be sure, but it made him sound trustworthy.

A tall man was the painter, thin yet strong. Brilliant green eyes stared at the world, or in some cases a model that was posing. "Ah Master Wolfe! So I am requested by the Queen herself ey ?" He asked, he had his own hint of playfulness in his tone as he spoke. Oh, or not, a birthday gift for the Queen herself, ok that made things just a little more complicated. "I see, a gift for the Queen's birthday. But it is still May, the queens birthday is not until December, nine months away..." He said, he had four paintbrushes in his hair, one tucked behind his ear, another stuck in the ponytail of his hair, a third was pretty much stuck up his nose, and another was holding his shirt together like a tie

He went quiet then as Mark handed him a plain envelope. Upon removing the picture inside, of Elsa and her family, from her dream he took in in carefully. "Ah... So the Queen had a vision and wants me to paint it ?" Little did he know the rest of the pictures Mark carried should he take the job contained more pictures of Elsa and her family.

He put the picture back into its envelope. "Alright, a contract is a contract. Since the queen wont be here for posing, I doubt even her mother or father will be for that matter. I can work with this. Doubtless since it is for the Queen, and as you say Master Wolfe, a secret gift for her birthday as well... Consider it done. Payment wont be needed or worried about at this moment. My first task will be finding a proper sized canvas." He started pacing, "I could go to the... no that is in view of the Castle itself... Maybe if I went to the... no that wont work either... hmmm... Jarius has some canvas I think he'd like to get rid of, perfect size for what I am envisioning even now!"

Mark nodded as the painter asked if it was from a vision. "Something like that, yea." He smiled. As the painter continued, Mark's smile slowly grew, and as he mentioned getting the perfect size of canvas, Mark chuckled. "Thank you, my friend. The Queen will be extremely pleased, I think, when she recieves this on her birthday, so make sure it is perfect! Use the best paints you have, if not, better!" he said. With that, and a bow, he turned and left the room.

With a flick of his wrist, his bronze Transport Array was activated, and he was taken direcly to Elsa's room, where he closed the array and knocked on the door twice before entering. Ulnaus screeched a bit loudly, flapping his wings in greetings of his good friend and master, and Mark clicked his tongue loudly, heading direcly for Elsa's bed side, and sitting on the edge of her bed, taking her hand in his gently and lightly nudging her in case that huge bird hadn't woken her up yet.

Elsa slept like a rock, if it weren't for the gentle rise and fall of her chest, she'd be seen and thought of as if dead. And yet she was sleeping. As Mark took her hand in his and gave her a brief nudge to waken the door opened and Kai came in with dinner, both the feeling of Mark holding her hand, and the smell of the horsemeat that Kai had ordered cooked, brought her back to reality. With a soft moan she slowly woke up. Felling Marks hand holding her ownshe opened her sapphire eyes towards him. "Mark... did you speak to the Painter ?"

Then her nose caught scent of what Kai brought in as requested. "Kai ?" Elsa turned her eyes, and just barely managed to turn her head towards her head butler. "Is that... ?"

"Yes your majesty, it is. As requested; to the degress of medium well." Kai replied

"Good, Kai, please bring it over here. I can't move still" Elsa said, Kai smiled and dutifully brought the cart of food closer to the bed. The dreamshare device was stored away through Blackmane after Mark had left moments before while Elsa slept. She had a little bit more feeling back, but she couldn't lift either of her arms nor could she turn her head. But she was able to eat, it'd be full dark by the time she had her strength back properly.

He nodded at her question. "I did, and instructed him to use only the best canvas and paints he can find." he said, smiling before looking to Kai, sniffing the air. "Something smells good." he mumbled, his eyes flashing a bright bronze as Ulnaus suddenly vanished from view. He cleared his throat and gently released Elsa's hand, reaching up to his upper arm and brushing his finger along it for a second before returning his hand to that of Elsa's.

He then figured she'd like to see what would happen next, so he held out his arm for her to easilly see as it started to glow a deep bronze, slowly and beautifully collapsing in on itself from either end like the scales of a snake flaking off into a bright gold point in the middle of his upper arm. This lasted for a good 15 seconds, and when it was done, only Marks' normal arm, covered of course by his Assassin cloak, was left. His hand was revealed, wearing a silk glove, which he removed and placed in one of many pockets on the inside of his jacket.

"I suppose you'll need some help, Elsa?" He teased her softly, lightly taking a plate that Kai handed over to him, served already for her, and placing it on her nightstand next to her bed. With that he stood and thought a moment. "Hmm...how to do this...do I grab a chair and awkwardly reach over the bed to help you? or do I cradle your head in my lap and feed you that way?" He asked, serious, yet also playful and teasing. "Your choice, my dear Queen." He smirked, knowing it'd annoy her a little.

Elsa smiled, hearing that the Painter was going to do the best he could. She had no idea what Mark truly had planned concerning the painting of her family she wanted. Apprently Matthew and Mark both went ahead in secret to have it painted for her, but as a gift. For a second she didn't want his hand from hers. After all he had saved her life. He'd woken her up from the dream. She stared, she had seen that gaunlet before, but never what it was doing right then. She watched, never taking her eyes off of it as it shifted, the glasslike metal folding in on itself into something under his coat sleeve. "Beautiful" She said softly. Not meaning the glove either.

She gave him a sidelong glance. "I think the option of you supporting me would do fine" Not that she wouln't mind being fed with her head in his lap. But if Anna were to come in, what would happen then ? How would Anna react ? Of course Anna had taken care of her older sister before when she had gotten ill. But Elsa was not ill, she was... unable to so much as roll over in bed she was that helpless. So she needed help to eat, or drink. And thankfully Gerda, her head maid was on hand to help her with other more personal needs.

At his hesitation Elsa smiled, "How about this" She said, "Sit on the bed next to me, and once Kai sets the pillows back up to support me, I'll be sitting up and you can help me eat then ?" She suggested. Sometimes it was times like this she missed her mother dearly. It was then she also noticed that Blackmane was gone. And that Snowfeather nor Georgina were even home; something felt weird with them gone. "Did Snowfeather and Georgina come back with us ?"

Mark smiled at her suggestion of Kai setting her up with a bunch of pillows, and nodded. "As you wish." he said, waiting as Kai set her up with the pillows before sitting next to her, facing her as best as he could, which meant propping one leg up on the bed and on his other leg. He took her plate and cut everythign up into bite-sized peices, and then smiled, steadilly holding the plate over her body while feeding her the food gently with a fork.

"Snowfeather and Georgina? No, they did not. They were going to go and tie up some loose ends, I believe." He said calmly to her while helping her eat her food. "I'm sure they'll be back soon, and when they are, you can ask them where they were and what they were doing." he smiled softly. It occured to him that if Anna walked in on them as they currently were, she'd begin to spread rumers about the Queen being in love with one of the Assassin boys, and a light blush came to his face as he chuckled to himself, silencing any questions Elsa might have by giving her another delectable slice of Horsemeat; the smell of which filled the room and made his own mouth water, something that normally doesn't happen when it came to food.

As soon as she was sitting up against some more pillows And Mark sitting next to her to help her eat, She quietly ate with his help, the meat was perfect. She listened as Mark explained what was going on; Seeing his sudden blush however she looked at him confused, raising an eyebrow in a thoughtful yet clearly confused manner, but instead of saying anything she took the slice of horsemeat from the fork without a word. A little sauce nearly got her dress, yet a snowflake had caught it, just barely in time as well. "Mm, that's wonderful! Kai, please tell the cook that how this was prepared is exactly how I want it next time I ask for it."

"Yes your majesty; by your leave" Kai bowed and left the room as Elsa continued eating with Marks help. There was another plate, one for him no doubt. As Elsa did ask for his help to eat dinner that night. By full dark she;d have her strength back, and full control of her body as well. But for now she was content, food with a dear friend. That, for the moment, was all she wanted.


	15. Seqeunce 4 Memory 3

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 4**_

 _ **Memory 3: Winter Goddess vs CIA Spooks Part 1**_

 **21 May 2051**

 **Oslo Norway**

 **Oslo CIA Branch HQ**

 **Midnight**

"Holy shit" Barnabas Greely mumbled seeing the carnage in the front lobby of the Oslo CIA branch. The place was ashambles, the lights were pulled, a dozen very good agents were slain, and all their information on their targets was gone.

"They got all the info we had; check the sec cams" Marcus ordered "But be careful, who ever did this is smart, they most likely left traps" Knowing Snowfeather traps were to be had everywhere! Hell if whoeever did this did not come through the front door, Marcus knew exactly what to look for.

"Right chief, On it" Barnabas said in reply, moving to the security room, the door glowed a strange outline of white marks. Cautiously the man shot the lock out, the door exploded outwards as he ducked for cover. Peeking in Barnabas swore "Shits blastd apart!" He said

"There's more then one cam control room. Head for the servalian floor" Marcus said, Barnabas left as Marcus went to the still alive agents, one of whom was holding his neck, unable to move thanks to Snowfeathers paraliser dart she struck him with. "Jackson, what happened here ?" He asked

"Two women came in, ruined the place. They got everything and took off, never saw them before either." Came the reply. "One of them hit me with something, man was the bitch strong too! Felt like I was fighting with a freight train!" The man said, Marcus snickered; yeah that was Snowfeather for sure!

" _Hey chief, got what we seek_!" Came Barnabas over the radio " _Two women, looks like them same two bitches on the RV, they walkd in, started a fight, then on took off, raided your temp office, then took off from the area, outside cams show the two disappearing into some nightlife crowds due west, back towards that town_ "

"Shit" Marcus swore. "Where were they headed ? That town we got the girl from ? Or that mountain cabin with those sword users ?" people still used swords, it made Marcus snicker

 _iYeah, chief, back the way we came, we coulda passed them and never noticed, they got everything too, all the files are gone_ " Barnabas replied

"Alright check the motor pool, and get a team ready in a van; we know where they came from; we're going after them" Marcus replied grimly. He went over the injured, most of the agents in the front lobby were slain, barely alive, or asleep

" _Right chief_ " came the reply as the radios died, Marcus wasn't taking any chances now. They took their only source of information. He wanted that woman back, he was after two men now, he dialed his phone and spoke to a coworker in Langley, he had a new assignment, one that he hoped to not botch up. Ehen he got off the phone he turned to the fellow recently on the RV with them who just walked in "Stevens! Meet up with Barnabas down in the motor pool, you're driving. We're taking a van, RV is too slow and too... obvious" Marcus said, the RV was a standard E350 superduty ford van; a small RV of sorts, Stevens just rolled his eyes and waved off Marcus before heading to the motor pool.

Ten minutes later and a teem was assembled, this time they'd need tazers for themselves. Marcus had a prize he was after. Of course they had a minor delay as the armory had been raided and certain items had been stolen. Marcus' mind started thinking up worse case scenarios concerning the stolen poison darts, and the stolen ropedarts

 **22 May 2051**

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Elsa's bedroom**

 **Dawn**

Breakfast in bed was not something Elsa was expecting; she was barely able to sleep the night before with what Blackmane called 'pins and needles' feeling all over her body, Icicles did it hurt too! So that morning, the feeling was gone around three am, which then allowed for Elsa to sleep for about four maybe five hours at best, getting up at seven was normally her daily rutine; but not today, no, she wanted to sleep in. But no she had to wake up because she was used to waking up at that time anyhow. She wasn't expecting to wake up in her own bed; like the day before, waking up in that... RV Matthew had called it. So waking up in her own bed was much more preferable. Best of all she was nice and dry, and clean, and safe. Because there was a ihuge/i bird standing by the door keeping careful watch over the room and its lone sleeping resident.

What Elsa was not expecting was a magenta transport array to open on her wall and Georgina and Snowfeather to fall through it. Did they have to make that much noise ? With a soft moan Elsa jerked awake, her hands to her head as she slowly sat up "Do you have to make that much noise ?" She grumbled softly, man was she tired!

"Sorry we figured talk to you first before going to Matthew" Georgina had conferred carefully with Snowfeather on what to do, and Snowfeather said to talk to Elsa first before talking to Matthew, After all, Elsa was the queen and therefore their first priority to keep safe at all costs as almnost all of the pictures in the files Georgina had pilfered were of Elsa to begin with.

"Talk to me before talking to Matthew ? Georgina I feel as if I'd been run down by a muledeer, why wake me up with this much noise ? Where were you two yesterday anyhow I wanted to talk to you before I went to sleep last night." Elsa complained, rubbing sleep from her eyes she stumbled from her bed and went to the wardrobe to change behind the screen as Georgina explained their eventful night at the CIA in Oslo. She noticed how Ulnaus was so quiet until the name of Matthew being said before he went to the window and started knocking on it, which confused Snowfeather by his actions.

Pointing at the massive Eagle she asked, "Uh... why is Ulnaus in here ? I hope he didn't spot anything" Of course that would earn her a targetmark for sure. Georgina stepped two paces to her left, out of reach of both whatever Ulnaus was about to do, and also the door if Snowfeather took a break for it.

Another few knocks on the window and a loud screech was all it took to hear some fumbling downstairs, along with a crash and a shout before a muffled groan was heard. Mark had woken up...and was covered in books. "Damn books...never go where I want them..." He muttered as he dug himself from the pile while Ulnaus kept knocking on the window. With a groan Mark used his Bronze transport array to flop into Elsa's room, nearly slamming into Snowfeather as he did so.

He then straightened up a bit and clicked his tongue, and Ulnaus stopped immediately, screeching lightly while looking to Mark as if expecting something. A few more clicks of Mark's tongue later and Ulnaus had managed to iopen/i the window, and fly out after a few seconds. The window was unharmed too! Mark grumbled to himself, wearing only his usual coat at the moment, and no armor; save for his boots.

With a sigh he closed the window and fixed his messy hair, turning to face the females in the room. "Well...goodmorning everyone." He said groggily, his dark brown eyes scanning the two in plain sight, and briefly taking note of the one changing behind the screen before returning to either the wall or ceiling. Mark hated mornings; loved sleeping, but here he was, mostly.

He then pouted as his hair fell into his face. "Snowfeather...a question, if I may." He started, not waiting for a reply before continuing. "Why the hell haven't I gotten a haircut yet?"

Georgina raised an eyebrow, her own hood removed, her long light brown hair was in a loose braid, "Good morning sunshine" She said, not saying a word of his lack of armor. Didn't he always wear a gauntlet on his left hand ?

Thankfully it was Elsa who spoke up "I can answer that, you can blame Kristoff later; Anna made him get a haircut last night. Oddly he wanted one too" Elsa stepped out from behind the changing screen in a light red ice dress, still blue but slightly red tinted, Georgina smiled, well, now Elsa was getting the hang of her magic she could change the colors, only so far at least! In other news, Anna had shown up before Elsa had tried to go to bed and told her the happy news. Kristoff had proposed! On top of that, he'd even made the rings for himself and Anna too; that news alone made Elsa try to sleep with a smile on her face Her feet were still void of any shoes, not even socks

She was braiding her hair as she continued speaking as she stepped up to her dresser and mirror. "Kristoff proposed to Anna last night. She told me herself, even showed me the ring he used to propose to her as well, it was quite beautiful too" A few shards of pale blue ice were conjured out of the air and slid perfectly into her braid as she tied it off with here ice blue ribbon. She turned to Mark and the others, "Now, can you two explain to me why you woke us up at this hour ? I was just getting some sleep without that weird pins poking me feeling"

The two women traded looks and Georgina took out the file, Setting it on a table she said; "I raided the office of that guy that was in your dream, Marcus was his name, Marcus Gray. He had these" Countless pictures of Elsa were in the folder, along with a few of Mark, and only two of Matthew, but dozens of Elsa; like they had been tracking her every move. Taking one of the pictures, the picture of her, Snowfeather, and Anna going to the Rougwater Inn and her killing off that one Templar soldier behind the shed before they went inside, Another she found of her first meeting Mark in the marketplace district.

"What am I looking at aside from me ?" Elsa asked, why did the CIA, whatever that group was, want her ? Sure she had those men in her dream, but she also had Mark and Matthew in her dream too! Why did those men want her ?

Mark had to suppress the urge to whistle in admiration as Elsa stepped from the screen, and instead stood up, looking to the file that Georgina procured. Mark glanced at the picture and laughed. "Man, this dude's a creeper." He smirked, frowning as he saw the pictures of himself. "They didn't even get my good side...bastards." he muttered, sorting through them quickly.

As Elsa asked her question, Mark could only shrug; he didn't know. He didn't care; his job was to make sure they didn't get their hands on Elsa, so that's all he wanted to do. Not that he had any complaints anyway; one must never trust a government organization with a beautiful woman with Ice powers! It's quite the volitile combo! At least, that's what Mark supposed.

As he leaned to look at the pictures, he huffed in defeat. "Okay...I'm about to cut my hair myself..." he grumbled, roughly brushing it back out of his face again. He then felt around his body as if looking for a knife, and growled in defeat as he didn't find one. He glanced to Snowfeather for a second then shook his head. No...last time she cut his hair was about 15 or 18 years ago when he was still a boy. At least...that's what he remembered, anyway. He figured that if he asked her now, she'd more than likely try and cut his throat as some sort of test or sick joke.

' _Not gonna get my neck...not today..._ ' he thought defiantly, nodding to himself.

As Mark spoke, and swore, Elsa looked from the picture of her and him, in a sparring session as Snowfeather called it, "Good side ? Look at this one" There were a few bystanders in the area of that fun they had, Mark had pretty much sent that guy ducking for cover! She showed him the picture, it was Mark diving for a strike and she had remembered ducking out of his path at the very last second. "I think that this is your good side, _I like that smile too_ " Elsa said softly, mostly in Nordic, only Georgina understood that part of it though and that made the young woman smile.

But when Mark swore Elsa looked up at him with a startled look, that was a first; "I think I'm going to slap you one of these days for langauge like that" She said; Already thinking of how she'd be able to slap him. Mark was too fast for her to just reach over and deck for swearing in front of her. She smiled then at the complaint of his hair, "I dont know, I like it; I think it suits you" She said, in truth, he actually looked really nice with his hair long. "But, maybe if you had one of these ?" She conjured out of thin air another ice ribbon, ice blue like her own, "Maybe it could help ?" She held it out to him

Mark looked at the picture and laughed softly, shaking his head. "Far from it, my dear Queen." He said. He was now trying to figure out what the hell he was smiling about at the time that picture was taken, but it wasn't working. He then blinked and raised his eyebrows at her remark of slapping him. "Slap me? I do wish you luck, my dear, you'll need it. Slug me in the stomach? No problem. Slap me? Major problem...so I'd like to see you try." He smirked. Not even Snowfeather- an expert and hitting the fool of an Assassin- could slap him. He'd always find a way to weasle his way away from her hand.

He then looked to the ribbon in her hand that she conjured, and shook his head. "Nah, I prefer my hair short. Less to worry about, less shampoo to buy!" He smirked before letting out a massive yawn, stretching out his entire body with it as well, stumbling backwards a few steps as he did so before shaking his head and breathing hard. "Damn...gotta quit sleeping in the library. Not comfy..." he muttered to himself.

Elsa gave him a confused look, he'd like to see her try to slap him ? "Alright, deal!" She said, She smiled then, he called her 'dear'! And there was no denying that now either, he had two witnesses! of course Snowfeather was starting to smile something akin to a 'good luck' kind of look too towards Mark when he declined the ribbon. No doubt Elsa was going to tie it right then and there!

She still held it out, never lowering her hand; "Mark..., no buts, take it and use it before I tie your hair with it myself" She could too! Sometimes she just snapped her fingers and bam, the ribbon was in her hair tying off her braid perfectly without any notice or fanfare or worry of tying it tight enough. Of course she meant it in a silly way, not exactly serious, but truthful too

Finally she said "Is anyone else hungry ?" At that exact second there was a loud THUD outside the window as Ulnaus returned, but hit the windowsil

"Watch it ya crazy Ford Probe of a Bird!" came a rather annoyed voice of Blackmane from downstairs on the library balconey, Ulnaus barely missed slamming into her

Elsa kept a straight face as she spoke. "Sounds like Blackmane is up"

Mark blinked. Oh good god she took him literally! He glanced over to Snowfeather as if to say "do something!" but knew it was useless as he saw her smile, frowning and furrowing his eyebrows. He then hesitantly reached over and took the ribbon from Elsa's hand as a cautious squirrel would take a nut from another squirrel's home, quickly snatching it and quickly tying his hair back expertly, and with a rather annoyed look on his face.

"I'm still cutting this ha- Oh hey Ulnaus is back." He said as he heard the slam against the window, and Blackmane's shouting. "And she's awake. Double goodie~!" He said, joking of course.

He perked up at the mention of food. "Food? Where? Of course I'm hungry!" He said, pounding on his chest almost pridefully. At the moment his guard was up almost to the extreme...he wasn't sure how quickly Elsa moved yet, and he was certainly inot/i going to get smacked today, or ever!

Elsa gave Mark a look, if he cut his hair so help her she'd go to Pabbie for a potion to regrow it! She liked him like that for some reason, it made him look more... well less like Hans and more like someone she could trust with her life really, it was weird to be honest. Not bad weird, but ... strange weird. Mark looked nice with his lair long, and with it tied neatly it actually made him look more... well more like an Assassin Elsa could trust. Not that she did not trust Matthew, then again Matthew had a beard...

That and Mark helped her eat the night before. It was three hours later when she could move on her own. "Yes food. Breakfast, in ... my bedroom ? Wait, Kai what are you doing here and why is Marei bringing food into my bedroom ?"

"Healers orders your highness" Kai replied

"Dont tell me I need to stay in here until after breakfast!" Elsa complained, first complaint of the day, heck first complaint since getting home! Ok now she wished she was back in her ice palace just waking up with Mark and everyone there for the week, but nooo stupid cia

"You need to stay here until after breakfast so the healer can check things over to ensure you're alright" Kai replied

Elsa gave him a sour look "I asked you not to tell me that" Georgina stifled a giggle as Snowfeather raised an eyebrow slightly amused At least they had breakfast, Marei had enough cooked for them all too! It was as if Marei was expecting Mark, Snowfeather and Georgina to be in with Elsa that morning, what was she some kind of seer ?

Mark watched with a raised eyebrow as breakfast was brought into the room, blinking a few times. "Am I magic? Did I just summon that? Hmm... "Kittens!" He said, frowning as nothing happened, and visibly flinching as Snowfeather gave him a very dirty look, holding up his hands as if to say "hey, calm down...I'm innocent." without speaking. He then sighed as her wrath was set aside for food for a moment.

Mark perused the selection of food, and shrugged, taking what he wanted, plopping it on a plate, grabbing some utensils, sitting by the window, and munching away calmly. He didn't really speak too much at the moment...too busy stuffing his face with food. "Y-y'know...If you want to see if Elsa's better, why not set up a sparring match against someone? If she can't move all that much, we'll know within seconds just by watching her!" He offered after swallowing a bite of his breakfast, crossing one leg over this other while he leaned back.

Elsa went back to her bed and sat down as Marei brought in the food; there was six kinds of meat, four kinds of cheese, some fruits and nuts, it was pretty much the typical Arendelle breakfast in the castle really. Heck some days there was even chocolate in with breakfast. but normally that was hot cocoa and that was just as good anyway.

Marei brought her a plate and she speared a few pieces of horsemeat, and some swisspepper cheese and started eating. Some hot cocoa was poured for her as well; ahh, breakfast in bed! What a way to begin her first day home!... well sort of.

Elsa stopped eating while holding a drumstick of a sort, more like a prime ribe by the size of the thing actually, Pointing her breakfast at mark she said after swallowing "Someway, somehow, I'm going to hurt you" She had a smile in her tone, but she meant it. Somehow she was going to slap him, and he knew it too! After all he dared her and she took that dare! However his idea of seeing if she was indeed healthy again did seem to hold merit enough for Kai to think it over.

"I will speak with the Healer" Kai said leaving the room with Marei, and not locking the door behind him

As she ate her breakfast she got to thinking, maybe she should start a list of how not to annoy her before breakfast ? No that was too harsh. When Marei brought in a pair of sandals Elsa looked confused "What are these for ? I can make my own shoes, why are there sandals for me ?"

"Ask Matthew" Came the soft reply, Marei rarely spoke since her mother, Gerda, had passed away the year before. Following in her mothers footsteps, Marei had become the headmaid of the castle.

Well if that was the case Elsa nodded "Alright, I'll ask him, thank you Marei" marei smiled and nodded, Elsa pointed out some more meats, this time fox meat, and some more swisspepper cheese, once her plate was refilled an everyone by then had their fill, Marei took the remaining food, which nearly weighed down the cart itself, back to the dining room. As far as Elsa was concerned there was food on that table at all times to begin with

Mark smirked at Elsa's declaration that she'd hurt him soon and chuckled. "Again, I wish you luck." He said, still eating calmly. "In fact...I almost look forward to it." He added calmly, finishing his last bite of breakfast before standing, walking over and placing his plate on the tray now that he was done. He then stretched out his body and yawn one last time.

It then occured to him that if allowed to choose her sparring partner, Elsa would choose him. He didn't particularly feel like sparring today...or doing anything for that matter. "If the healer agrees, I should think that it would be in our best interest for her to pick Elsa's opponent for the sparring match, don't you think?" He asked, turning towards the others in the room, waiting for some sort of responce.

Snowfeather could tell Mark wanted nothing more then to take a day off, after all, Ulnaus woke him up, after they woke up Elsa by their arrival. she smirked. standing up she spoke "Georgina and I will find Matthew and inform him of our findings; we'll see you in the courtyard before lunch ?" Elsa nodded, still looking to Mark, ah yes, her sparring partner, Kaedrian knew that anyone else that sparred with Elsa, even one of the soldiers, were always left in the Healers room; and every single time it was on accident too! That left Mark, Georgina, Snowfeather, Blackmane and sometimes Anna.

Twenty minutes later and Kaedrian had spoken to Matthew, and also Blackmane, both of which agreed, Elsa was to spar with Mark until lunch or until she was unable to stand any longer after getting her strength back.

 **Kingdom of Arendelle**

 **Marketplace District**

 **At that same moment**

Anna wandered the Marketplace rather giddy from the night before. Olaf was with her, oddly calm wherein Anna as hyper, possibly too hyper; which made Olaf quite confused as they walked along. Anna seemed her cheery self, maybe even moreso then normal. "Anna" Olaf said after a long moment of watching, and following Anna around the Marketplace district, Anna was happy, and humming to herself over what was going on. Over the night before. Over the ring on her finger. "You are much more happier then I have seen you since Elsa came back and brought back summer." Olaf could never get that out of his head. He loved summer!

"Well, Olaf, you know Kristoff right ?" Anna said as the two wandered the district, giving plesant hellos to Anna and Olaf as they wandered the maraketplace.

"You mean the funky looking donkey and Sven ? Yeah I know them, why ?" Olaf replied confused

"Well, you know how Kristoff proposed to me ?" Anna said

"Yeah, why ?" Olaf asked, clearly oblivious to what Anna meant, what did propose mean ?

Anna could see he didn't have a single clue so she explained "Kristoff proposed to me last night, he asked me to marry him."

"Oh! You mean when he got on one knee he wasn't trying to clean your shoes ?" Olaf asked, causing Anna to giggle crazily, still in a daze over what Kristoff had done, he had made the rings himself with help. It explained why Anna had not seen him the last few days actually. He was always busy, but now Anna knew why he was so busy, and what was more, Elsa blessed their wedding proposal too!

Well, more like approved of it actually now that Anna thought of it. Even though at the time Elsa was limper then a wet rag, she was in fact very happy for Anna that Kristoff had proposed to her the night before, making the rings and all. Which in itself was rather interesting to see. Nevertheless, Elsa approved the marriage proposal before going to sleep.

So now all Anna had to do was plan the wedding. Which was a hard task unto itself, but still. Anna, with Olaf, wandered the Roughwater District, she liked this area, it was nice, and massive, and ever since Elsa had burnt the gallows to cinders, it was more homely too!

Niether Anna or Olaf saw the group of men following them. Taking seat at a outdoor cafe, Marcus Gray observed the young woman. "She was with that other woman, the one we had, in the dreamshare. Remember ?" He said to his coimpatroits

Barnabas nodded, "I thought she looked familiar" He said, "What's the plan chief ?"

"We grab her; and the snowman, and take them back to the van. Got the darts." Marcus asked

"I got a few, you think it'll work on the snowman ?" Barnabas said, he was unsure of hitting the snowman, which was quite sentient at that, with a sleeper dart.

"Maybe, lure them to where we're parked then use them on the girl, once she's out, grab the... snowman ? The fuck ? How does a snowman walk around ?" Marcus replied, Barnabas nodded, without a word he and two others left the cafe table. Marcus was confused however at the presence of a talking sentient snowman.

Thankfully Anna was headed for a side alley to get back to the main market on the otherside, much larger and more open set uip worked wonders in most cases. None of them were expecting when Olaf ambled into view chasing a butterfly. As anna started down the alley she never expected the CIA man behind her to shoot her with a silenced gun.

As Anna sank to the alley paving stones Olaf ambled around the corner and was prompted dicapacitated, his head landing with a sudden "Ow" as his head plopped onto the stonework. "Woha! Headrush!"

"Dah hell ? The snowman can talk!" Baranbas said confused, and somewhat spooked.

"Yup!" Olaf replied. His butt started walking past Barnabas "Oh hey! Do me a favor and grab my butt, he's getting away!" Barnabas, already freaked out at the sign of the sentient snowman simply did so. Grabbing Olaf by the hair, basically, Olaf's head swung around "Hey whoa, wait, dont drop me! WHOA!" His voice quickly became muffled when he faceplanted next to Anna inside something "this just got a whole lot more painful" His butt and stomach landed next to him as the door closed behind him.

The van started off. Only one person saw it occur, Matthew had snowflakes everywhere.

 **Twenty minutes later**

 **Arendelle Castle Icerink Courtyard**

 **Just after breakfast**

Wooden swords, red oak mostly those were what they used in sparring sessions. Elsa was on her feet longer then normal that day. She had slept four days straight she wanted out of her bedroom! Heck, her original plan to stay a week at her Ice Palace at the North Mountain was moved back to the end of the month, and in three days was her seventh anniversary of being Queen. So the entire town was getting ready for it. Elsa went to the weapons rack and withdrew a sword or two and tested their wieght, even though they were of wood she couldn't help it. Hopefully Georgina told Mark who she wanted to train with.

It was not that Elsa's magic was strong or she herself was strong, too strong for her own soldiers, but when she got into training, her own soldiers ended up in Kaedrians ward more often then herself or Anna; She took up a long redoak sword, she liked the feel of it, and picked up another just like it. Perfect. Now all she had to do was wait for Mark... And also figure out when and how to slap him; after all, she said she'd slap him that day to begin with.

Even if it were just a sparring session, Mark wanted all of his armor on; he new that most people who sparred with Elsa were injured, himself included and didn't want to take any chances with her, even if she just got out of bed for the first time in four days. As they waited in the Courtyard, Mark stumbled out, adjusting one of his pauldrons on his shoulder while stumbling through the door, mumbling something about having a plan for new armor in the works.

He grabbed a single redoak short-sword in his right hand and walked to stop opposite of Elsa. He still couldn't believe that the Healer; who was allowed to choose Elsa's opponent, still chose him. Now she'd have a damn chance to smack him... this wasn't going to be a good day. He stopped opposite of Elsa on the courtyard and sighed, opening and closing his left hand a few times before quickly flicking out his arm, the iduradaeden/i Gauntlet appearing in very much the same way it had disappeared the day before on his arm, hand, and fingers. With a flick of his wrist the Hidden Blade was tested, and he smiled.

He then Turned towards Elsa, taking his trademark stance: Left hand out, and right hand holding the sword horizontally over his head with the tip pointing towards his opponent. Because of this stance, he was known as the Scorpion by most of the Templars that witnessed him in person and didn't have their eyes pecked out by birds.

"Come then, my Queen! Fulfill your promise of slapping me in a trial by combat!" He smirked again, raising his hood quickly before resuming his stance.

When Mark arrived Elsa raised an eyebrow at first confused, all that armor ? When she was just in her dress and ice cape ? OK this could work, She stared at his left hand as the gauntlet seemed to just grow out of nothing, covering his hand. So that was how it worked. She watched him settle, or so it seemed, into a stance of some form. Well, this was going to be fun. She was going to experiment today for sure! She stood there, relaxed, the swords held loosely in her hands. No stance what so ever.

Was she remembering something Matthew had taughter her ?

In a way yes, she was. That first time she and Matthew had sparred, he had stood relaxed, waiting for her to come to him. No stance, just relaxed, and she still was beaten by her teacher at the time, but since then she had gotten better, to the point where only it was her and Anna able to spar with each other; until Mark came. And Blackmane, and Snowfeather, and recruiting Georgina.

For a long moment she just stood there, relaxed, calm.

But it was Marks words to her that got her attention. Without a word, with no warning whatsoever ever Elsa made it snow on the ice rink, within seconds it was nice and thickly snowing around her as she darted forwards barefoot without a sound, Left sword blocking while her right span just off her fingers, controlled by her snow, After all, she wanted to slap him. He dared her to. And so, she was going to. She held her right hand however as if she was holding her right sword, which danced just off her hand; allowing her aim for Marks left cheekbone for a light slap. She did not want to knock him out. No, she could worry about that later

Mark stayed absolutely still until the last possible second, moving lightning quick and with precision. His left elbow raised up, and his shoulder turned, letting Elsa instead slap his shoulder while the rest of her arm slammed into his iduradaeden/i gauntlet while his right hand moved to strike at Elsa's left arm with the redoak sword he held. His stance was one of the most balanced many had seen thanks to his reflexes and gauntlet, which acted as his claws while his sword arm acted as his stinger, must like a Scorpion.

However that was simply the start. After his strike to her left arm, Mark would duck down and turn quickly, aiming to sweep her legs quickly. Once the turn was complete, and almost a split second after wards, he'd raise his leg up for a devastating axe-kick that he would, of course, stop in time to just lightly tap her head or chest, wherever his foot landed. Of course, leave it to him to simulate going for kill shots immediately.

 _Drat he was expecting it_. Elsa thought, her open palm slapping lightly against his shoulder and upper arm as her own arm slammed into his gauntlet. The good steel felt weird to her skin, but she gave it no second thought. She thought then to intensify the snowfall around them but thought better of it for the time being. She used her snow to continue working with the right sword and grabbed the left in both hands, backtracking quickly to keep out of reach, he nearly tripped her up as she felt wind on her exposed right leg as she stepped quickly backwards. Snow swirled around their feet as he made the sweep; She almost charged back in

Almost

But instead she kept her distance, and let her right sword do the fighting for a second longer before diving back into the sparring; quickly snapping up the right redoak sword and catching Marks own on her left under her arm. She stopped the snowfall, letting it the snow that had fallen to swirl around them in a lazy dance as she let go of Marks sword and backtracked quickly before snapping forwards again, this time with her left sword just off her hand with her snow controlling it as her palm was once more wide open, this time going for his right cheekbone fast as a snake.

Mark gritted his teeth as she caught his own sword under her arm, and hopped back, himself as she let go, flicking out his sword quickly before also stepping forward again.

He was expecting her to go for his right cheek this time, but not at this speed, and as a result a resounding smack was heard, and he turned his head, blinking a few times before looking at her, a devious smirk on his face. "Oh, you're done now, my dear." He said, a look of extremely playful, yet deadly determination in his eyes.

With that he charged in again, using his gauntlet-covered left arm to fend off any attacks from that side of his body while using his sword to strike at any angle he could, and to block her attacks as well. He'd occasionally throw a kick as well to keep her off balance and guessing as to what he'd do.

Every now and then he'd throw a wide hook punch or ridge-hand with his left arm towards her shoulder or head to keep her on her toes and moving quickly. His breathing was slow, and even, but sweat already was beading on his forehead, ready to fall into his face. His footsteps looked slow, methodical, almost dance-like as he moved forwards, backwards, sideways, and even around elsa in a sort of trance of battle, a look of firey determination in those brown eyes of his.

"Not by a long shot" Elsa replied softly, her own eyes having a sense of playfulness in them as they sparkled as she blocked his firrst strike and ducked out of the way of his arm. Already thinking on how she could use it against him as she danced out of his path, blocking and occasionaly striking back with one or the other of her swords wooden blades cracked with each strike. And yet they never broke. Something of those Troll Grown trees the swords were carved from, or so the legends said.

Moving quickly, and almost as if in a dance of her own she struck with her right blade with blocking with her left, and at the very last second she changed tactics and both blades went at Mark in a flurry of motion. For long moments the two danced on the ice of the courtyard ice rink. Without a care seemingly as they did so.

Watching them spar were Snowfeather, Matthew, and Georgina. And also Kai and some of the others. Blackmane stepped through the front gate of the castle, recently returned from the Greensky District, recently liberated at that. She was confused however seeing Mark and Elsa sparring in the courtyard on the ice. "What is going on ?"

"Sparring session, Healers orders" Matthew replied calmly

"I can see it is a sparring session, Lansing, but why would the Healer give such an order ? Did Elsa request Kaedrian to do such thing ?" Blackmane asked watching as the two traded strikes and blocks. Elsa using two blades so skillfully, Mark only just one, just as skilled if not better.

"If only you had come moments ago" Matthew said softly to Blackmane as he never took his gaze from the two sparring on the ice so skillfully; "You could have heard it, a brief slapping noise of a sort"

"Someone has finally made a mark on him ? And it was her ?" Blackmane asked. She gave Matthew a hard look as the older man nodded, "What was that of liberating Whitehall District today ?" Snowfeather snickered as Georgina remained quiet, watching every move Mark made, taking it all in. This was one of the ways of learning how to take on experience in contracts; observing their elders.

"I want Elsa and Mark to do it. Why ?" Matthew asked

"Whitehall is overridden with Templars, both captains and soldiers alike, their main base is there. Are you sure it is wise to send them both ?" Blackmane said, "How long has Elsa been out of bed ?"

"About an hour; maybe two, possibly three" Came the calm reply from Snowfeather

"And she has been sparring all that time ?" Blackmane asked

"No actually, we had breakfast and then had to wait twenty minutes for Kaedrian to wake up" Georgina replied with a smirk, "That was about ninety minutes ago I think"

"Whatever, ninety minutes or one twenty, who cares, Elsa has just woken up, and it never snowed last night, well it did but not as bad as everyone to panic of what was going on like it happened seven years ago" Blackmane replied, "They're to liberate Whitehall District, the Blacksmith district, but it is also very thick with Templars everywhere, I dont want them tired when they do it"

"So who calls it ?" Matthew asked, his face had something of a goofy expression, his eyes half glazed as he watched Mark and Elsa spar so skillfully. It was almost like a dance between these two

"Maybe they will." Snowfeather replied watching the two go at each other, Elsa barely dodging a kick before delivering her own and then the two of them both getting tangled up on the ground in a heap and soft laughter, snow piled thickly under them to keep them unharmed on the ice rink

While the sparring session and discussions on the side took place, Ulnaus landed silently on the fountain, watching everything calmly while also preening his feathers.

As the two fell onto the ground, both of them struggled for the dominant position while sparring, swords and arms flailing around and clashing. Mark's gauntlet causing a crack in the ice as Elsa flung him off of her and he slammed into the ground, sliding and digging the claws into the ice to stop himself as well, getting up while holding his sword tightly in his other hand, looking up he charged and aimed a diagonal slash meant to go across Elsa's torso, as if to simulate a finishing move.

Just as it was about to land he stopped, covering his ears as Ulnaus let out the most massive screech any of them had heard. Mark then hopped back out of range of Elsa's swords as a swarm of small sparrows all started to attack Ulnaus at Mark's wild gesture, almost as punishment for screeching like that. With a grunt Mark stood straight, pointing the tip of his blade at Elsa with a smirk.

"Now then, where were we?" he asked.

As she flung Mark off her she rolled back to her feet; All of a sudden quite thankful for her ice and snow magic, if she did not possess it, she'd have never gotten him, with all his armor, off of herself in one go. When Ulnaus screeched loudly that gave her enough time to bring up here swords to stop Marks strike, she snapped out her blades to try and make a mark quickly but Mark was one step ahead of her dancing out of her reach as she darted after him. Quickly coming to a fast halt before his blade could touch her

She stared then as the swarm of sparrows came out of nowhere and swarmed Ulnaus, O...K... that was different. iHey look!/i She seemed to be thinking as she watched the sparrows swarm the massive Eagle, ia distraction!/i As he spoke she snapped out of it, she struck quickily with both her swords and dove at Mark to tackle him, snow swirling underfoot into large drifts, she was aiming to either trip him into one or tackle him into one of the snowdrifts. Where were they ?

In a snowdrift

Mark saw the tackle coming, but was still too stunned from Ulnaus' annoying screech to try and move out of the way, and with a resounding "Oof!" was dropped into a snowdrift with Elsa on top of him, his sword rolling out of his hand, and to Snowfeather's feet, clattering on the ground while Mark's gauntleted hand was inches away from Elsa's throat, a look of half fear half surprise in his eyes, and also the look of being very impressed, yet also an arrogant look of victory based soly on where his claws were.

The sparrows all fluttered away and vanished, leaving Ulnaus a ruffled mess, and looking very pissed off.

Mark's breath was heavy and quick, tired even as he then let his head drop into the snowdrift and his arm fall to his side. "Okay, Princess...you win..." He said jokingly, grunting as he scooted his way to his feet and stood up, lowering his hood with one hand, panting hard still, but with a smirk on his face that said. "You know I won in some way there." without having to say it.

A pale silver eyebrow raised slightly at that word, princess... it had been a long time since she heard anyone call her that! She smiled and started laughing getting to her feet, handing off the wooden swords as Snowfeather picked up; Elsa gave Mark a sidelong glance. "Yes, in a way you may have won..." She meant about the princess comment, woooo she was going to have to think on a practical joke to get back at him for sure for that comment! She was a queen not a princess.

But, if she could be a princess again, she'd glady take it, being queen was too much work!

She smirked then, a hint of playfulness in her tone "But you hit the ground first!" Oooo she was going to get back at him for that princess comment... somehow

"Stuff it you two" Snowfeather called out flicking her foot and tossing the wooden sword to the nearby weaponkeeper; "Are you two up for a libereation mission of a sort ?"

Mark was still breathing ahrd when Snowfeather came over, looking to her with a weary expression on his face. "Sure I'm up for it...just not at this very moment..." He said calmly, still sweating and breathing hard. "Gimme about ten minutes to rest up." He asked softly, respectfully as he blinked slowly and wiped some sweat from his brow.

Elsa was barely breaking a sweat herself, yet she was breathing just as hard. Yet she felt refreshed after all that sleep. Though she did want to spend that week at her ice palace, Hans screwed up the plan. but when Snowfeather mentioned the liberation mission Elsa raised a pale eyebrow confused. "Liberation mission ? You mean the lighting of the signal tower ?" She and Matthew had liberated five total districts so far. Out of all of the districts in the kingdom.

"Yes that exactly. though your destination is Whitehall District." Blackmane said; Whitehall district. Elsa barely went there even as a child. Almost constantly in the marketplace if anything else. What made her see that Blackmane didn't want her and Mark to do it was something rather important. "Something tells me that the Templars I froze here last year have offspring..."

"That is one way of putting it. There are three dens in Whitehall District, splitting the massive district into three parts. Georgina will go with you. try to hit the signal towers at the same time." Snowfeather said

"Whitehall District is also a Blacksmith district. dozens of them across the district itself. Soon as even so much as one signal tower is lit, some of those shops can be reopened" _And thus make Arendelle some more gold_ Elsa thought as Matthew explained the area. "But the district is overrun with Templar loyal soldiers, use your ice sword, or your hidden ice blades if you must. but try not to let them gang up on you." Matthew said, it was bad enough that Elsa got hit by a sleeper dart as it was. "They wont be expecting you; the changing of the guard is the best time to do it. Which is not long from now."

Mark looked to each of them as they spoke to one another, catching his breath the whole time while Ulnaus took off immediately, heading towards the Whitewall district. "I'm going to have birds mark where blindspots in the Guard's view are for you two. They'll squawk if they see trouble, and if they do, either keep still or get the hell out of there. I'll also have some... inconspicuous birds follow the captain around for you." He added, raising his hood as the Weaponkeeper brought him his sword, strapping it around his body so he could use it later. He also strapped at least a dozen throwing knives around his thighs and belt.

Finally he turned to Elsa. "When you're ready to ascend the tower, be careful. They've begun to lace them with Firerope and grease. If you would like, I can have Ulnaus carry you up there, or you can create some stairs or something, I'm sure. If you want Ulnaus, give a signal; I'll know it when I see it, and send the big fool over for you." he smiled.

He looked to Snowfeather and his smile diminished as he became serious. "Which tower am I going for?" He asked.

Elsas eyes went wide; firerope ? Oh no... that stuff ihurt like hell! "...Firerope... the Templars know of it ? Use it ?" OK, yeah, she'd want shoes for this. With that thought snow swirled underfoot and within seconds she had a pair of what appeared to be soft white leather shoes on her feet; if she absolutely had to, she could climb the tower and not use her magic to do it. But lately she used her magic on a very daily basis; to the point where it was completely on a whim without any other thoughts

"When you get there you three can pick that out. They're evenly spaced apart within the district. equal devisions. The closest Den we have to it is Roughwater District" Snowfeather replied, Elsa smiled, ah yes, Roughwater Inn, she remembered that visit. How could she not ? "So reenforcements wont exactly be possible until at least one of those towers are lit" That meant clearing the ground before going up. Made sense

"Firerope is reactive to my magic, somehow. I can't really explain it, but; if I make a ladder or even a rope or stairs, the firerope will activate, and break apart my magic" Elsa said thoughtfully, "We take on one tower at a time." Elsa was already thinking on how to even identify if a tower had firerope on it. Since they weren't expected; they might be able to pull it off. Besides, Whitehall, as Blackmane had said, was a major blacksmith location; liberate that and they got more Blacksmiths to their cause!

"One at a time? That'll make it difficult once we get one done, my Queen. Once one goes up, the defense on the other two will tighten more than you can imagine. We have to hit them at the same time, or at least cause chaos in the other two while we assault one." he advised calmly, sighing as he took a few steps back and forth, pacing. "We'll figure it out when we get to the den in Roughwater..." With that he flicked out his wrist, his Bronze Transport Array appearing. "Shall we?" He asked, stepping into it and vanishing from sight.

Elsa smiled, almost saying "the birds..." but Mark had activated the transport array and disappeared. Elsa watched, facinated as the bronze design appeared on the ground, iOK, how did he do that ?/i She wondered, never seeing his hand movements to make it; She saw Georgina smile and step onto the mark on the ground, quickly disappearing just like Mark did; here went nothing Elsa thtought stepping onto the mark and just as quickly nearly rammed headlong into Georgina who at the same time tried not to ram into Mark from behind.

 **Kingdom of Arendelle**

 **Roughwater District Assassin Den**

 **Noon**

This was originally Georgina's home. Taken as 'tax seizure' two years before, and recently taken back by Elsa herself to use as an Assassin Den. Georgina however was allowed to live there as she always had; One room was never unlocked, it was more then just Georgina's bedroom, it held an item, a burial urn containing her sons ashes in a small shrine. the rest of the massive manor house of two floors however held everything an Assassin Den required. Elsa had only been there once.

There was a large kitchen table nearby, on it was a full map of the Kingdom of Arendelle; it marked both Assassin Dens, as well as Templar Dens and Templar patrols in the area. Latly the Templars had been leeching from Whitehall into Roughwater. Which meant that clearing Whitehall could be easy. They wanted Roughwater back because it was the best locale, and the only district at that, which had a gallows. Which Elsa of course had burned into naught but ash nearly a month before when she liberated Roughwater.

Mark immediately went for the table with the map, picking up a pencil in his hand as he circled each Whitehall Den. "Alright...here they are. The patrols are rather standard; easy to avoid, easy to take out, but only if you catch them at the right time." He said calmly. He looked up to Elsa and Georgina and explained a few different ways of attacking the dens.

They could each take on one at a time, with minimal risk of missing one or alerting the others and making it more difficult, or they could split up, take on two, and then pincer the last one, or they could all three go at one, then decide what to do from there, whether it be stay together and take another, or split up to take the other two. As he explained this, he lightly drew arrows to depict where they'd be moving and what they'd be doing.

After that, he looked at them again, a look of seriousness on his face that Elsa may not be familiar with. "Now the question remains...which are we doing?" He asked calmly, yet with a sting to his voice that seemed ready to judge if a difficult choice was made.

Elsa looked over the map, she counted each templar signal tower entries. the one in the center portion of Whitehall had fourteen entrances "We split up and take this one first. it has fourteen entries, they can't cover them all." She said pointing out all fourteen ways to get into the place. the compound was huge, high walled, and best of all, filled with countless windows, some of them wide open

"Fourteen entries... that's code for 'idon't walk in through the front door./i'" Georgina said in answer to Elsas unasked question, the Queen merely nodded and continued speaking

"Once this signal tower is lit, we split up again and take on both of these two towers at the same time. Use a flare or something once the templar den commander is slain"

Only a small chuckle was heard from Mark was the two ladies bantered a little bit before he looked at them. "Alright then, which ones are you guys taking? I'll go right down the damn middle; keep 'em busy." he said. He liked going through the front door, always went better for him. He placed an M where he was going to infiltrate the den, then looked up at Georgina and Elsa, waiting for their answers. Once chosen, he'd put their respective initials at their desired entrances and then he'd stand up.

"My birds are already tracking the patrols around the entire district, to pay attention to them. If you see doves, there's a hay-cart for you to jump in to just below to hide in. Ulnaus is circling the district out of sight of just about everyone; and of course we have the regular eagles that roost on top of the towers." Mark explained calmly his eyes flashing bronze as he flicked out his wrist, his Transport array.

"Think of where you want to go, flick out your wrist pointing it to the ground, and step through. If you come out in one piece, you did it right." He said, mostly to Elsa, as a quick tutorial on how to create a Transport Array. Waiting for her to try it. "Try small; across the table; then go for your entrance to the Den." He added; giving her a smaller tutorial step would help, even if she was already adept at magic to begin with.

Elsa looked thoughtful as Georgina nodded, "you plan on the front door dont you ?" was all the younger woman said. Elsa tried not to smile at those words. "Fourteen ways in, why do you want to go in through the front gate ?" She was going to say more, but Elsa spoke up.

"We split up, this one in the middle is the largest of the three dens, we take it together, there may be more then one templar control or overeseer in this den as it is. We split up, find whatever captains of the Templars we can, hit them from afar or without getting noticed... and then met up at the tower base." She said it mostly as a thought, after all, a compound that big, there had to be more then one templar captain there!

Her eyes went wide as Mark activated a transport array, Georgina smiled, she knew how to make it, Snowfeather had taught her, briefly, though it was fun, Georgina actually didn't really like that method of travel. But if it was the only method of travel of long distences, she'd take it. But to Elsa, seeing Mark make such a mark on the ground made the young Queen stare in confusion, then change over to pure curiocity; when Mark showed her how to create it she mimiked his movement and a silvery white ring similar to Mark's bronze appeared on the den floor, hopping into it Elsa disappeared, and seconds later the same mark appeared a few meters from where she was originally standing as she seemingly appeared from thin air. "Like that ?" She asked. Hoping she had done it correctly

Georgina's question was only met with a laugh from Mark. "But of course! Someone's gotta be crazy enough to do it." he added, laughing again, silencing himself as Elsa spoke up.

He nodded at her words. He watched her create her own transport array, smiling as he saw it. When she asked if she did it right. "Step through and find out." He said. The best way to test it out was to just do it.

Elsa did just that, activating and stepping through the transport array was actually easier then initally thought. She had seen Snowfeather make one, or rather, arrived when one was made on both ends when they rescued Blackmane rom Weselton; but making one herself, that was new to learn. Finally she smiled and nodded, alright that was all set. Now to bring some pain to the Templars. "Shall we ?" The plan as far as it looked on the map, was to spilt up and take the center den at once. with fourteen ways in; and a hundred twenty three Templar soldiers inside the area. That just made it more fun.

Georgina smiled, and went over to the nearby weapons racks and went through her gear, a few poison darts, a few berzerk darts, and her new favorite, camera bombs. Which allowed thanks through Snowfeathers technology reach, a full six dozen tiny cameras to make a full three dimensinal hologram of the inside of a room. That and the CIA had a few, so she snaged the latest bunch from the Oslo building. Elsa was confused however of the darts, a few of them were attached to ropes. but she looked quite ill at the more deadlier darts. Georgina turned to the others and nodded, it was time to begin

Mark only smiled when Elsa's transport array worked, and nodded, knowing what he needed to do as he checked over his own gear. His trademark Gauntlet with included Hidden-Blade also made of _Duradaeden_ , his usual armor, sword, and at least two dozen throwing knives in places such as his shoulder, hips, thigh, ankles, and even his free wrist. He then noticed something different: Rope Darts...He hadn't used them in a while...but boy were they fun! He grabbed a couple, making sure that they'd be easilly accessable.

"Alright. Once you're in position, you'll know what to do." He said, his eyes glowing a bright bronze as his Transport Array activated, flashing brightly as he stepped through it, vanishing instantly.

Elsa activated her own transport array and she and Georgina disappeared from the Roughwater Den as well. Appearing seconds later on the street in the area they wanted to be on the map. Elsa got a very good look at the huge building. It was four floors tall, countless windows, and shaped like a upside down E. On the outside she counted fifty three templar soldiers, all of them wearing the Arendelle Guard uniform. As much as she hated to do kill such soldiers, wearing her own colors. She nodded to Georgina, who turned towards the west, back towards the castle, With Mark going for the center of the building, she headed East, towards the place she had been nearly taken to the day before by the CIA.

She scampered from group to group, not many in this district recognised her in her now reddish blue ice dress but a few had and pointed fingers. She went right for an open window on the second floor. After taking in the building she saw the signal tower, and what looked like recently painted as well, every tower had a different view. Once inside however she heard some voices from outside; Elsa took a moment to listen to the voices pointing in her direction. "Was that the Queen ?" One person asked

"Doubt it, she dont wear red" Said another

"I'm pretty sure I saw the queen! Dress was right an' everything" the first voice persisted.

"Yeah ? Since when did the Queen wear her ice dress in red ?" Insisted the second voice

"Well since you put it that way..." Elsa smiled not hearing the rest of it as she padded, barefoot, from the window deeper into the building. Her ice worked in three ways, beauty, weapons and clothing. So at that moment she stood against a door and peeked out, stairs going up and down, focusing her vision she looked again, and counted two men directly on the other side of a strangely glowing door, and two people seated on a nearby bench. And a third enemy on a patrol route she could map out. Elsa waited a few seconds and then darted with the templars vision turned and took a seat on the bench. As if to take a rest.

Once she was seated, Elsa quickly cast a dove of ice; almost completely invisible, she let it fly out the window, as it flew it sped past the front door that was wide open with four large columns towering the foor floors to support the roof and the three floors above it. This building was pretty much a small palace! The signal was simple, ' _I'm in, see you at the signal tower base_ '


	16. Seqeunce 4 Memory 4

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 4**_

 _ **Memory 4: Snowflake within a Snowflake part 3**_

 **21 May 2051**

 **Kingdom of Arendelle**

 **Whitehall District**

 **Centeral Templar Den**

 **First Floor Main Entrence**

 **Noon**

"Okay, so lemme get this straight. You're telling me that Seagulls _aren'_ t in this blasted town simply because we're near a port?"

"That's it, skippy."

"I'm calling bullshit on that."

Mark snickered as he passed seamlessly from group to group of people. The Templars had no clue why there were so many damn birds all of a sudden. But he did. Mark always knew about the birds. After all; he's the one who called them!

"Call what you want, but it's true. Seagulls don't normally come this far inland unless there's a storm coming."

"Huh...but the skies are clear."

"That's what's funny about the ocean; it'll screw you over in no time flat."

The Templars continued their conversation as Mark walked right past them without being noticed at all. The front door of the Den was simple enough; regardless of there being six guards; three on either side of the door. Mark sat on a bench and leaned back almost as if he were lounging around as he watched the Templars; their movements, the way they breathed, where there eyes moved while they stood there and then he shrugged.

He stood as a patrol walked right past him, and hid in the crowd directly behind them. Everything was going absolutely fine until the crowd of people he was hiding in decided to turn at the last second, leaving him exposed at the foot of the steps of the front door of the Den.

He rolled his eyes and from his belt he pulled six throwing knives; one for each guard as he screeched like an eagle, birds fluttering from their positions and blinding the guards for a second while the hooded man continued forward, the knives flying from his fingers and into the throats of the guards, who slumped over against the wall as if they were still standing.

And he was in! That was easy enough. Now then, find the Captain. His brown eyes began to glow bronze as he used his Eagle vision to look around, stooping into the shadows and watching everything carefully.

He didn't have his birds in here; he had to be twice as careful. Red highlighted Templars were everywhere on this floor of the building; but nary a Gold fool to be found. So he sat; and he waited.

News of an outside force screwing up plans reached his sensitive ears before he pin-pointed the source; there it was. That fleck of Gold in a sea of Red and grey. Standing, Mark was quick and silent in his movements, weaving in and out and around the people in the crowd, following the Templar Captain to his office, and slipping into the door before it closed.

"Quite the set up you have here." Mark said, startling the Captain enough to make him stumble before drawing his sword, pointing the tip at Mark, who merely smiled as a dart slowly fell from his right hand.

"Too bad it isn't good enough."

Within a blur, the ropedart closed around the Captain's feet, tripped him, and Mark's hidden blade was lodged into his neck, up through the brain-stem for a quick, clean kill. Mark drew his fingers down the Templar's eyes to close them. "Rest in Peace." He whispered before standing and quickly going through the man's desk; pulling up maps, documents on Nobles; orders to detain or kidnap Nobles, or those close to the Queen.

Kai's name came up in the "Detain and Torture" list, and Mark bit his bottom lip, sighing in disappointment. A few other names as well, Jeramiah, Arendelle's Spiritual Leader for the church was on the Kill List, as was Nova; a young girl who was known to help hide some Assassins in times of need. Nova's mother, Gwendolyn, was just under her name.

Mark shook his head and rolled up the papers, stuffing them in his pouch before exiting the office and heading towards the base of the Tower as planned.

 **Kingdom of Arendelle**

 **Whitehall District**

 **Centeral Templar Den**

 **Fourth Floor; North End**

 **At that same moment**

To say her luck never went in her favor after defaulting on her home to the Templars the year before and only hours later rescued and given back her home from the Templars by the Queen, Georgina could have said it was just pure dumb luck if she were ever asked. But it didn't matter at that point, her target was the top floor of the massive building. The glass dove flew past behind her before disappearing in a explosion of energy and ice.

Climbing swiftly in the pretty much empty garden area Georgina cleared the window sill to the room she found herself inside of. An office, that of her target. The door was framed in gold, and there were not two, but two dozen Templars scattered on the floor with her. But she was in the captains office. Because he sat right in front of her and was going over things. She'd have to make this quick!

For a long moment she hung on the windowsil looking in. Listening to the conversation within.

"I sam fairly certain that whatever occured at the Mountain can be overcom with the resources we have." one of the men in the room

"Regardless, outside interfernece ruined the plan, the bandit camp is ruins; best course of action is to aim higher, stake it out and take down the target" said another man.

"No, the objective at this point is to take all the targets alive." Said the third man, apparently the captain Georgina sought. "And if you know what is good for you, you'll do as ordered directly from the Grand Master, am I understood ?" Both men replied with 'yes sir's before told to leave the office. Georgina slipped in without a sound and hid behind the mans chair as he sat down, not bothering to look behind himself

This was too easy!

She waited until she heard the pouring of wine into a glass, the Templar captain sat back in his chair, relaxed. Nothing amiss. The chair reclined a bit, and right onto Georgina's hidden blade, stabbing perfectly directly into the mans heart without a sound. The man died instantly, wine glass caught by Georgina, who drank it down. She recognosed the bottle and growled softly under her breath, the wine came from iher/i wineceller in Roughwater District!

She turned from the bottle to the Templar captain and went through his pockets, withdrawing a letter; She opened the wax seal after recognising the Weselton coat of arms. i'Outside influence or not, I want the target alive, if she is slain or wounded in any manner, it will be your head! ~ The Duke'/i Georgina snickered, quickly pocketing the letter she went to the desk and searched it. Finding a map, a floor layout of the Castle, Elsas bedroom marked in grey the library marked in purple, and finally, Annas room marked in red. Georgina could not make head or tail of it, but she folded the floor layout up and pocketed it as she searched the desk further.

She opened another drawer on the desk, a list of names. She read through it, it was seperated into three parts, the top part was listed as Detain for Torture or questioning, Marie's name was at the top, the daughter of the former now deceased headmaid to Elsa Gerda, along with Hilda the cooks aid, and finally Jukes, the second in command to Captain Freyla and former bodyguard of Elsa.

The second part of the list was Capture, and listed there made her snicker nearly uncontrolled as she read off the names, She herself at the top, followed directly below by Elsa, and Snowfeather further down the list, and at the bottom of that section was listed a woman named Charity, but that name was scribbled out ? That raised an eyebrow. Why was a name crossed out ?

But what made her stop and stare was the last part of the names list, the Kill On Sight list, Mark was at the top, followed directly under his name by Princesss Anna, and also Blackmane, and Matthew. Also listed there was Captain Freyla. Georgina smiled, this was one mission the Templars were going to fail outright! With the desk trashed Georgina stepped quietly up to the door and opened it, the two men standing there never saw her coming as she struck, both men sank to the floor; the cleaners could handle them later

 **Kingdom of Arendelle**

 **Whitehall District**

 **Centeral Templar Den**

 **Second Floor; South End**

 **At that same moment**

Elsa sat on the bench quietly, completely ignored by several patrols. Even in a different dress color she was partly recognisible, and she knew it, which meant she had to explore differnet ways to do things. Among which included getting the Templar Captain down for the count, so to speak.

She had no idea of what her sister was doing, nor did she know Anna had been kidnapped with Olaf by the CIA. So for the moment Elsa sat calmly on the bench, two people on either side. Her vision focused; she spotted several groups of red marked men in sets of four, some of them walking along the halways among the groups of people. Others standing in pairs at various locations. She still stared at the gold door in front of her. listening carefully to what was said within.

"I do not care, outside influence or not we want her alive! You best tell your men that directly before I take over" Came a hauntingly familar voice. Elsa's eyes widened, spotting a vent system she ducked into it and closed the window grate behind her, like a drain system, Now under the floor but above the first floor she listened better through a air vent.

"But Prince Hans, you know exactly what happened, the outside influence came from Oslo, they stole her from the Bandits, they left the firerope! It was never activated" Came the reply, Elsa saw that Hans came up in pale blue, he was not her target, the templar captain came up in gold.

"Either I take over this operation with my men and it goes right, or it goes as planned with you and your men, understand me ?" Hans said

The Templar captain nodded, the two men soon left the office, which let Elsa enter without too much trouble. Easily slipping out of the vent she eased open she stepped into the office and searched the three massive bookcases carefully. She heard a click... The bottom drawer of the desk opened, inside was a single paper.

A names list

Three sections, The top section had names Elsa never really was familar with outside of the castle, it looked like lower ranked nobles. On the second section, the capture section most likely, she found not exact denominations was a single name, Shane, whoeever that was Elsa had no idea, but it was the last name onthe list that was crossed out that got her undevided attention,

The name said Marion, and it was crossed out; Elsa had no idea what it meant, But she slid the names list into her corset and finished searching the office, keeping an ear out carefully for the Templar Captain. When she found nothing else she quickly stepped out of the office and blended into a passing group of people. The gold and blue figures not far away.

Elsa quickly found another bench and sat down, unnoticed by anyone. She easily heard their conversation, and briefly thought she saw Mark heading upwards. Oh boy, this was going to have to be quick and quiet, this was her second liberation in a year! Her first was when she liberated and returned Georgina's home the year before.

"You do understand, if anything goes wrong, I take over and finish the job." Hans said

"I understand fully sir, We have the names list as ordered it has been scrambled and split among myself and two of my compatroits in this endeavor, We want Arendelle in our grasp just as much as you!" Said the Captain.

"Good, have you men been informed of the outside influence and how to deal with them ?" Hans asked, Elsa had to wonder what he meant, but she stared hard at Hans, clearly unhappy that he was even in her kingdom again

"Yes sir, my men reported seeing them in the Roughwater District, along with the Princess as well" Said the Templar Captain, Elsa's eyebrows went up slightly; ok that was problematic for sure! the CIA, in Arendelle, and Anna nearby possibly captured!

Hans nearly choked on his wine, "They what ? Well, take those men out! the outside influences imust/i be eliminated if this plan is to be seen to completion!" he all but yelled at the Templar Captain under his command, Of course the captain needed a change of clothing as his wine, and that of Hans, spilled onto him "Get yourself cleaned up, then see to it that those men are dealt with quietly, preferably not in the open. now get going. I need to get aboard ship within the hour." With that Hans left,

Elsa saw her chance and ducked into a passing group, and then just as quickly she ducked into a wardrobe the Templar was headed for. She got back in it just enough as ther man stepped into view, with a flick of her wrist, she grabbed him in one hand, and in the other, the ice blade struck solidly into his neck, turning the man rapidly into ice. She sat him inside the wardrobe. carefully she searched his body and found only weapons and a set of orders, and quite a bit of coin.

What she heard Hans say however, that made her work quicker, strangely she was unnoticed as she quickly blended into a group of people and stepped towards the stairsd, but ducking into a backway she went up a private staircase to the top floor, labled roof access.

 **Kingdom of Arendelle**

 **Whitehall District**

 **Centeral Templar Den**

 **Rooftop**

 **Ten minutes later**

Georgina waited at the base of the tower; there was a dozen or more dead Templars scattered across the rooftop. Perfect. Georgina saw her at the same time Elsa spotted her friend. The two met up between the main stairway skylight and the tower. It was Georgina that spoke first. "Did you by chance find anything relating to a names list ?"

"You mean this ?" Elsa withdrew the names list she had stolen and hid in her corset, Georgina nodded. Producing her own Elsa compared the names, Apparently the spaces on each list made it easier for each name to line up in proper order. "It looks like they're lining up together, Wait, Why is our names on this list ? Were the Templars planning to take us down or something ?"

"Eliminate us one by one is more likely" Georgina replied, she showed her friend the map "I cleared the rooftop, they never expected me, never saw me coming. No worries now. We're in the clear to take down that tower."

Elsa took in the map as she felt eyes on her as a massive shadow flew overhead, she smiled as Ulnaus made landing on the footop not far away, the massive eagle preened his feathers as if unworried, perfectly so perfectly on a beam overlooking the courtyard not far away.

Elsa spoke up as Mark joined them, "Hans was here, the templar I was tracking was speaking with him, did you get a Names list too ?" She was confused as to why Annas bedroom was circled in red, whereas her own room was cirlced in silver.

Mark nodded to Elsa's question, showing the two the slip of paper as he lightly kicked the base of the tower, looking up at it. "No time to go over it; the faster we light this thing the better." He said, backing away from it before turning, the slip of paper returning to its hiding spot with a swift movement of his hand.

"How are we doing this? We've got three towers to light; and it's best if we light them all at the same time; or close to one another so the Templars know to get out." He didn't seem to care about Hans, that or he did and just wasn't showing it. Truth is, unless the Prince impeded progress, he wasn't any concern at the moment. With annoyed growl Mark waved his hand, and Ulnaus simply screeched back.

"You're gonna get me killed one day, bird." Mark hissed, waving his hand again. "I told you to stay out of sight!"

"Hey-isn't that-? It is! Sound the alarm!" A voice called out from below.

Cursing under his breath in Arabic, Mark screeched loudly, Ulnaus nodded his head and dived towards the Templars, taking out the alarm-runner first before carrying him, screaming like a sissy, away before dropping him to his death. Birds began to swarm around the area as Mark took his sword from its sheath on his back, turning to Georgina and Elsa. "Looks like I've got this tower. Now go! We've little time!" Two bronze Transport Array's appeared on either side of the group, one led to the North-East Tower, the other to the North-West Tower.

Mark was often praised for liberating districts quickly; his no-nonsense attitude made him a favorite for high-priority targets, much to his lazy dismay. Screams oozed from below as Templars were swarmed by birds who pecked and clawed visciously at their skin and eyes. Mark ran towards the Tower wall and within five steps, three forward and two up, was at least eight feet above the roof-top, his iDuradaeden/i claws lodged into the wall, keeping him in place, his body close to the wall to keep his weight focused on more muscle groups so he didn't tire easilly.

With a grunt, Mark used his sword, held in a reverse grip to stab into the wall, and pull himself up another five feet before slamming his claws again into the wall. He climbed the fire-rope littered tower quickly in this manner, leaving minimal, hardly visible damage to the wall on which he climbed. He reached a ledge and gritted his teeth, sheathing his sword before letting out another screech, letting go of the wall and willingly falling before Ulnaus swooped in and caught him, flapping his massive wings hard to lift Mark up to the top of the Tower, where three crossbow wielding guards awaited him, firing at the Massive bird, whose feathers were thick enough to stop the bolts before they reached his body.

Mark dropped onto the ledge, ducking another bolt while grabbing one guard by the shirt with his clawed hand, slamming him into the wall before throwing him off the tower while spinning. During the spin, Mark's right hand grabbed two throwing knives, releasing them to another guard, each knife lodging itself within the chest of their target, who stumbled backwards, also off the side of the tower. Mark then rolled foward to dodge another bolt from a now half-rageful, half-scared-shitless Templar who was screaming at him.

The Templar lunged, aiming to use his crossbow to slam over Mark's head, but the Assassin merely raised his gauntleted arm, the metal taking the impact while from the right hand dropped a rope-dart, which was quickly flung around the neck of the raging Templar. In a few quick steps, Mark was behind him, back to back, and pulled hard on the ropedart in his hand; squeezing the life from the Templar quickly and painfully.

All of this left Mark panting, but smirking at the same time. He loved every second of combat; relished in it, even, but this was no time to bask in glory. Not yet. Mark grabbed one of the torches from its holder and tossed it into the beacon. He then searched the Templar at his feet, finding a cigarette lighter. He smiled, lighting it and dropping it on the torch before stepping onto the ledge with a fire raging behind him, and finding the Hay-cart below.

Mark then took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and leapt.

 **Kingdom of Arendelle**

 **Whitehall District**

 **North-East Templar Den**

 **At that same moment**

Elsa nodded, turning to her left she took the east way array. Diving into it she rammed headlong into a Templar on the other side, she knew in her heart she'd never get used to the instantanious travel that transport arrays provided! After pretty much bodyslamming the templar into a wall Elsa backtracked quickly and cast her ice sword. Then with sword and ice dagger she fought off a wave of Templars.

She knew she didn't have much time, but these templars had different rank badges and none of them had the rings on their fingers. She searched them carefully and then hid the bodies in a snowdrift that soon melted. She snuck up to a templar, whom she was able to see was the captain of that den and easily struck from behind, the mans body turning instantly ice blue in color as the life left him. As she laid him on the ground she searched his pockets, Sometimes templars had a key she could use.

However, not only did she find a key, she also found another names list. One that nearly made her choke on the memories of her mother. It was a "Seek and Destroy" list, and of those names, was her mother at the top, crossed out of course, Her parents had passed away at sea, their ship completely wrecked. But directly under it was two names not crossed out. Nathan Wolfe, and Marcus Wolfe... _Wolfe... Isn't that Marks last name ?_ Elsa wondered, She heard voices and ducked into the Templar den quickly, it was empty on the inside, perfect, there was however a stairs leading up. She darted upwards after casting a Snowflake Lock on the door. Sliding the new names list into her corset she took the steps two at a time.

Carefully lifting up the trapdoor at the top she looked around, listening carefully she heard nothing but there was a lit torch not far off on a pillar. Perfect! Scampering up she took in the view. Wow was all she could think. About a mile to the southwest was a signal tower alight, She smiled, Mark at work! Perfect, she could just barely make out his leap of faith. Without further thought she grabbed the torch and tossed it on the signal light. Purple smoke poured fourth, signaling that the second tower was now in their control

She had done a leap of faith only once before, when she saved Georgina. But now, why not again ? She dove cleanly off the rooftop, the doves guiding her path perfectly into a neatly stacked pile of hay with a soft 'flufsh' sound. For a long moment she relaxed calm. She heard fighting in the streets nearby. Well this would be fun for sure!

It was then that Elsa took out the new names list and scanned it carefully, of the twenty or so names on it, not including her mothers own name, only two names were not crossed out. A woman named Sarah, and anothoer named Serenity, whatever that meant, it had to be a nickname. But she stared for a long moment at her mothers crossed out name.

Why was she on this list ?

 **Kingdom of Arendelle**

 **Whitehall District**

 **North-West Templar Den**

 **At that same moment**

Her luck had run out, Georgina knew it, even with her added arsenal of weapons, the smoke bombs prooved useful only so far, So she threw a datura or two before taking to the rooftops after dropping in on a pair of templar patrols. Eight guys against one woman, well, the odds were never really in her favor most of the time to begin with anyhow. It was pure dumb luck, she knew that now, that she had chosen the office window of a Templar Captain to enter on the fourth floor of the place too!

But this was rotten luck! Eight guys quickly turned into twelve, which quickly turned into twenty six, and even then they seemed to be never ending. But the first guy she killed, all on accident too, was the Den Captain. Perfect! To the rooftops! Georgina threw another smock bomb and scampered up a wall without so much as a "see ya!" She easily yanked a man off the rooftop and to the group below.

Snapping out a ropedart she grabbed a long rod of metal with it and tangled the ropedart around it, Using it as a long ranged weapon she used it more akin to a whip. She threw a few poison darts, and even a berzerk dart or two, but primarily she took down every templar with the ropedart tangled metal rod before finally aiming it to the air and locking onto the tower above. Then she easily scampered up the tower as if she were rockclimbing. Easily yanking the only Templar up there not even noticing the the ruckus down below him she pulled him off the tower to his doom and climbed up. Grabbing up a torch as she looked around, taking in the kingdom. This was the third time she had done such a thing since joining the Assassins with the Queens help. But at this moment she wanted to take it all in, all around her she saw everything. She even spotted some Arendelle soldiers, those loyal to Elsa, arriving on the ground.

Perfect

She walked out onto the beam and untangled the ropedart, quickly winding it up she grabbed up a torch and threw it into the tower, explosions went off, apparently the Templars hid gunpowder in it. Their flags shriveled into nothing as Georgina swan dove cleanly off the tower into the river below with a perfect dive. She swam quickly to the nearby bridge and pulled herself up out of the water. It was time to meet back up with the others

But first

She went back to the scene of battle, man was it a mess, she went through each slain Templars pockets, finding mostly money, some ammunitions of various sorts. But no orders or names lists. She hid the bodies in a nearby haystack. She had no idea how to explain it, the bodies tended to disappear. She tried not to think about it. It took her about an hour to hide all the bodies, but she managed.

 **Kingdom of Arendelle**

 **Roughwater District Assassin Den**

 **One hour later**

Snowfeather sat within the den at the dining room table. she was going over contracts in the area. in fact she had just finished one her self, but there was more pressing matters to attend to. The CIA had Anna. And Matthew was trying to find out where they had taken her. and what they wanted. Snowfeather however remained at the den in Roughwater in order to debrief those on the liberation mission. So she waited at the table. Absently fingering a jade stone her daughter had made. Normally it locked onto her sword hilt. but at the moment, Snowfeather held it in her hands, cleaning it actually.

The door opened, and in walked Mark, who lowered his hood as he nodded in greeting to Snowfeather. His hands came together, using a cloth on his clawed gauntlet; there was blood on the claws; fresh blood. Templar blood, no doubt. He sat across from Snowfeather, and leaned back, taking another few silent seconds to clean the gauntlet before looking at it to inspect the clean. He nodded, and with a bronze flash of his eyes, the Metal digitized away bit by bit as he leaned forward, his eyes on the Jade in his Mentor's hands. With a sigh Mark took the slips of paper from their pouches, placing them on the table. "I found these on the captain I killed. Lists. The girls found some too; dunno what they were; didn't pay attention to it." He said calmly before his eyes returned to the Jade stone.

"I have always found that stone beautiful...just thought you should know while we wait for Georgina and the Queen to return." he said calmly. Ulnaus sat on a perch above the door to the Roughwater Den, talons and beak dripping with blood as he preened his feathers, the crossbow bolts falling out harmlessly as he did so.

"I should know" Snowfeather replied softly as she cleaned the gem carefully. "I had found it many a time in your bedroom." She breathed on the stone gently and with a delicate touch she gently laid the gem where it belonged on her swords hilt. With a satisfying CLICK the gem locked into place. "The templars had stolen it... the sword and gem. Thinking it a Piece. It isn't. So they kept it in their vault. Until one of them was stupid and tried to use it against me" She started cleaning the blade itself as there was blood on it.

"The CIA are in the kingdom. They have Anna. And Olaf the snowman. But not all of him apparently." On the table was a twitching stick with three fingers and a thumb. "Matthew found his arm in a alleypath not far from the Inn where we had some events happen recently. Matthew is currently trying to find out where and when Anna was taken. Olaf was with her. When Matthew returns we will plan on how to get her back."

As she spoke the door opened and in walked Elsa, followed quickly by Georgina, Elsa did not look happy one bit. Matthew behind them both. Elsa went right to the table and leaned on it. "Matthew said the CIA are in kingdom, Hans was also in the kingdom, but he was leaving, as he said he was taking ship home." Matthew nodded as Elsa looked around confused. "Where is Anna ?"

"What did you find on the liberation ?" Snowfeather asked, getting right to the point, Elsa gave her a look, but lete it go for the moment. Weithout a word she withdrew from her corset a stack of several papers, the names list and some other orders. Also a supply list. Georgina did the same, but she had maps, one of which of the Castle, which had Elsas room circled in silver, and Annas in red.

But it was the names list that was the greatest importance.

With the names list provided by the girls Snowfeather stacked the tracing paper on itself, to get a better look at it. "There are names missing." She said confused. there were gaps where names were to be listed. She cast a glance to Mark, "Did you find anything ?" She didn't have to ask as she spotted the pwpers on the table, picking up the two lists of names she stacked the tracing paper once again.

Her heart hammered as she read it.

Five names she recognised instantly, two of them were very important to her, the other three, important to Mark. None of the other names aside from Kai, and the Bishop, and also Marei and Nova did she recognise. For a long moment there was silence, she slowly set the names list down and stood up, looking out the window of the dining room to the river and fjord beyond

Mark waited for Snowfeather to put down the papers, his eyebrows furrowed at her expression. Curious, he picked up the pieces of paper, and read off the names, whispering them out to himself as he skimmed them. Then he got to the ones close to him. "Nathan...Marcus...Charity..." Mark visibly choked up, swallowing hard as his breath went absolutely silent.

Five agonizing seconds he was silent and still.

Finally he simply stood, set the papers down, and turned, but not before a single tear fell onto the paper with a soft i'plip'/i. After turning Mark walked to the door, opening and slamming it shut so hard the walls shook and Ulnaus screeched, startled as he flew off. Wolfe...Wolfe...Why Wolfe? Why?! Mark couldn't describe the emotion he felt; but he knew it lied somewhere between agony and rage.

He headed towards the Docks, his gauntlet appearing as he raised his hood.

Elsa turned to Mark confused as he choked up about something, this was possibly the first time she had ever seen him sad about something, almost all the time she saw him he was always humorful or deadly serious. So what was this ? Elsa couldn't explain it, when she went to speak Matthew held up an arm and shook his head. Elsa watched Mark leave, completely confused as the door slammed and the walls shook.

So focused on Marks leaving none of them saw Snowfeather take flight herself out the opened dining room window. With the cry of an eagle, matching with Ulnaus screeching Snowfeather took off. She knew the pain that Mark was feeling. Perching a few dozen meters off on a smokestack she withdrew from a sleeve a letter, it had a M on it, Snowfeather knew who sent such letters. Sliding the letter away from whence it came she once more took flight. Unobserved she headed for the Docks.

She followed Marks trail and twice tangled with Ulnaus until the massive Eagle understood her intent. Mark most likely needed her, and she needed him. They both felt the same about those they loved dearly.

 **Kingdom of Arendelle**

 **Docks District**

 **A few minutes later**

After Ulnaus finally understood Snowfeather's intent, he practically guided her to Mark, landing on a post at the far end of the dock, intimidating all who came near to give them privacy. Around Mark was simply a mess; blood once again leaked from his claws, dead or dying fish from destroyed barrels and baskets lay strewn around him as did the wrecks of wood and even metal.

Mark's head was down, and he just stood with his back to Snowfeather, silent, except for the ragged rise and fall of his shoulders. Crying. Mark was crying- no, sobbing. He was sobbing his eyes out quietly; the air around him was dark, lonely, sad, angry, and at least a hundred other emotions, none of them positive, all of them leaving him a wreck.

After a minute he turned, gauntlet vanishing again as he simply pulled Snowfeather into quite possibly the tightest hug of her life, sobbing into her shoulder as he had done all those years ago while she raised him. The last time Mark did this, he wasn't even 7 years old. The last time Mark did this, he latched on to Snowfeather for a week; never leaving her side, or even letting go of her jacket; forcing her to stay within the Den and watch and comfort him; though...it wasn't really forced.

For how long they hugged each other neither knew. For long moments she said nothing, Nothing need to be said right off the bat. "When you requested kittens this morning. Do you know why I gave you that look ?" Snowfeather said softly as she gently distasngled Marks hair. the ribbon Elsas had made had held it well, but some hair had came loose. "It is because I thought of my own children." She pulled Mark to arms length and looked him over carefully. "Until this kingdom is clean and run in peace through our work, There is not much we can do. My own girls are on that names list."

Snowfeather lifted a gently hand to Marks face and gently cleaned away the tears. "This is for you. Rest assured, we did what we could. But for those we lost long ago, I am sorry." She meant his uncle, and his father. Snowfeather withdrew a letter, signed with a M upon it. Mark had gotten many a letter, and this was the most recent, nearly a week old at that.

She stepped back then. Mark seemed much calmer then. "you will be in for dinner tonight, wont you ? Shall I ask Elsa to save something ? Or do you want to meet up when we go after the CIA to get Anna back safely ?" She knew that Mark worked with the CIA briefly, after all it was through her and Blackmane that he got the job, basically.

Finally she smiled. "Take all the time you need. You'll know where to find me." She really meant to send Ulnaus to find her, the massive bird was basically a homing beacon

Mark was silent the entire time she talked, taking the letter in a shaky hand he took in a deep breath before nodding, pocketing it for a few minutes later. Finally he shook his head in response to her question. "I'll...meet when we go after the CIA." he said softly. As she smiled, so did he, and he hugged her again, lightly connecting his forehead with hers for a second, his eyes closed before breaking away and blinking a few times and taking another deep breath in, flexing his shoulders a few times.

"I'll...I'll see you soon, Snow..." He said calmly, his voice low, deep, oddly soothing. "I'm sure you'll know where to find me." He said calmly in response to her before stepping back into a Transport Array; landing in a chair at the Arendelle Library, and opening the letter.

 _Dearest Brother,_

 _Mother and I are still safe here, so you can relax there. We each work at a local coffee shop; I serve and she cooks. It's not fun, but it keeps us safe from Them._

 _Listen...we miss you; try to come and see us soon. Momma wants to know if she has any Grandchildren yet! She still can't thank Snowfeather and Blackmane for their help enough, so be sure to give them a hug for her._

 _With undying love,_

 _~ Your loving sister, Marion._

Mark wiped another few tears from his cheeks and folded the letter up again, placing it in the internal breast pocket of his coat above his heart, putting a bit of pressure on it for a few seconds before sighing, slowly rising from the chair and checking how quickly his hidden Blade could deploy, his eye not flinching from the extremely quick, smooth action.

 **Kingdom of Arendelle**

 **Roughwater District Assassin Den**

 **A few minutes later**

It did not take long before Matthew had come up with a plan, with Snowfeather and Mark out on some personal business, Matthew had no idea what, he had managed to get in touch with the CIA in that were in the kingdom somewhere. Or rather they had gotten in touch with him. Their ioffer/i was more of a outright demand, or trade. Him for Anna and the snowman. No questions asked.

But Elsa did not want him to go. He was her teacher. They could think of another way to get Anna back. Georgina even wanted to get another crack at the CIA for kidnapping Anna, and also kidnapping Olaf. Leaving one of the poor guys arms in the alley was not a smart thing to do, the arm was pretty much dancing on the table at that moment!

What to do ?

It was then that Elsa noticed the absence of Snowfeather when Mark was gone and Ulnaus screeched. Turning back to the table, the window was open, but there was no sign of Snowfeather whatsoever "Where's Snowfeather ? Wasn't she by the window ?" Elsa stepped around the table to the window and looked out, never seeing Snowfeather take off from a chimney pipe two dozen meters away to the southwest and head for the docks.

"Dont know" Georgina replied "What do we do ? Go after Snowfeather or go after the CIA ?"

"The CIA wants me, this much is sure, they tried to get into your dreams to learn more of me." Matthew said

"So where is the CIA now ?" Elsa asked "They wont be expecting me to show up out of nowhere to get my sister back." Georgina smiled, Elsa on the warpath to save Anna, the CIA were in deep shit right then for sure.

"The CIA want me, and the last place your sister was, isn't far from here. We can find Snowfeather on the way and fill her in. Come on" Matthew said. then he lead the way out. Directly to the last place Anna and Olaf were, Ela of course had grabbed Olaf's twitching dancing arm. She had no idea what Matthew was planning, but somehow she knew she wouldn't like it

 **CIA Rented Room**

 **Roughwater Inn**

 **At that same moment**

"Is she up yet ?" Marcus asked, the two room 'apartment' of the inn they had rented through a friend and a favor acted more like a small prison with a barred up window and the outer room connected to the hall allowing only one way in or out.

"Dunno, how long that sleeper worked for ?" Barnabas asked

"Four hours, and that was two maybe three hours ago" Marcus replied, he Nodded to the door "Check on her, if she's up, let me know" He turned to the others in the room as Barnabas turned to the second door. He pointed out the men in pairs. "You two, get down to the lobby, that commons room as they called it will be a hotbed of activity soon I want you to keep watch, report in every ten minutes with updates. Even if a guy sneezes. You two, outside, I want this area watched, if that woman is out there I want to know where she is, and how close she is, and who is with her. Get going. You," He pointed ot the last man, "you're messenger between us here and those in the lobby. If their radios go down I want you to be midway between us and them. Now get going."

Barnabas went to the door and put his ear to it, opening it he stepped into the room and turned on the light, this kingdom, as odd as it was, actually did have eletrical power. So light switches were a good thing. Anna was on the bed, either awake, or asleep, or faking asleep, Barnabas couldn't tell.

As soon as the door to the inner room closed Marcus stood from the sofa and went to the door, locking it, then checking the hall briefly and locking that door as well. He had five or so minutes. He paced briefly, his orders in hand. The orders he was given by an old friend. "Ensure their Safety" Whatever it meant Marcus did not know. All he knew is that those same orders lead him directly to Arendelle.

A place he thought he'd never see in his life again. He read through the orders carefully, finally he burned them away once they were comitted to memory. The only man on this mission that he knew he could trust was in the other room with the young woman they had captured. But the snowman was getting annoying. the closet door rattled and fell open, and out fell Olaf, in pieces, his face and head stuck in the lock due to his nose, and his lower body with one arm, was wandering off. Seeing Marcus Olaf shouted out "Hey you!" His arm on his body pointed at Marcus "Grab my butt will ya ? I'm getting away again!" The arm waved and the lower part of Olaf took off running

Marcus rubbed his temple, this was going to be a long day

 _Outside the Inn_

 _A few minutes later_

The two CIA agents assigned to watch outside stood calmly a few feet from eachother, scanning the area with their eyes to look for anything out of the ordinary. Their arms were crossed, hands next to their holstered pistols in case they needed them at a moments notice. "Man...why the hell do we keep doing this shit? Don't Command Know that those hooded guys are gonna stop us?"

"Keep talkin' like that and the Boss'll kill you himself. Hell, he'll probably give you to the leader of those guys; or to the other guys if he feels like it." The other said. "Listen I don't like this either; but you do what your told, everything'll be fine."

"I hope your right."

"Of course I'm right, have I ever been wrong before?"

"I don't think so, no."

"Then shut up and trust me."

 _At the Mouth of an Alley_

 _At the same time_

Mark dropped from the roof-tops into the Alley below where the group was waiting to go after the CIA, taking a moment to straighten his back and shoulders before looking up to everyone there, looking each of them dead in the eye with a steely cold expression. "What's the plan?" He asked softly, voice low, and eerily still; not a hint of wavering, or even real emotion as he stared at everyone. He wasn't in the mood to talk, and now wasn't the time anyway.

Above them came the cry of an Eagle as Elsa stepped up to Mark, a concered look on her face yet confusion in her tone "What happened ?" She saw him read the name list, then get all... deadfaced. "You looked like you saw a ghost when you read the names list!"

"The CIA have Anna, all we got is Olaf's arm... LET GO OF ME... OW" Georgina hissed as Olaf's bodiless arm just held on onto her side, This was going to take some getting used to. "OK fine, hang onto that... stop twitching" Yeah she could work with that. Sadly Olafs arm stuck out like a sore thumb.

"At this moment there's only one thing we can do" Matthew spoke up as Snowfeather was spotted not far off, close to a pair of men and mingling with a crowd of people headed for the Roughwater Inn, Captain Freyla's old stomping grounds until Elsa appointed him her new Captain of the Guard. "Trust me" Matthew said at Elsas confused look.

She knew what that meant. "No! Dont do it. Even if you give your self up, they might have Anna hooked up to the same thing they had me!"

"Its the only thing that can be done at this point. Trust me, Elsa. I made a promise to your father, to protect you and Anna to the best of my ability, I have done so, until now. You have Snowfeather, Blackmane, Georgina, even Mark to protect you, and you have come a long way since I returned." Matthew said "Do you trust me ?"

Elsa stared at Matthew, he made a promise to her father ? She slowly nodded as Matthew continued "You must trust me. As soon as you hear loud noises, Get Anna, and get to safety. I will provide cover for you. Mark. _Stay with her, keep them safe. As soon as the gunfire begins and you have Anna with you, get to safety as quickly as you can. Dont wait up for me._ " Matthew said softly in Hebrew to the younger Assassin. Matthew had seen how close the two were, Assassin and Queen, killer and ruler. Protector and friend. It was hard to not see it.

Mark's eyes darted to Elsa, shaking his head in return to her question. Now wasn' the time; and that wasn't a good subject, Queen or not, to bring up around Mark; especially after a breakdown like that. The look in his eyes was borderline deadly as he shook his head before his eyes softened and he looked away towards Matthew as he spoke up.

" _Do you trust me?_ " Mark nodded calmly. As Matthew relayed Instructions to him in Hebrew, Mark nodded eyes flashing Bronze breifly as a sort of salute, a non-erbal way of saying "I understand" before he himself spoke Hebrew in return. i"I understand, and I wish you luck, Mentor."/i he said calmly, the words flowing from his mouth as smoothly as Hebrew could.

 _Meanwhile..._

"Hey, what the hell is that?" One of the Agents asked, pointing towards Snowfeather. That pure white hair and black outfit was hard to miss in a crowd, no matter how dense it was.

"That's the bitch who tased that the boss, ain't it?"

"She tased him?"

"Yea, heard about it a while back. What do we do?"

"Tell the boss, obviously."

"Good point."

One of them lifted a finger to his ear, actvating the com channel between them and Marcus; "Boss, we're pretty sure that bitch who tased you on the RV is here, we're lookin' right at her. How do we proceed?"

" _What ?_ " Marcus thundered over the comms. If the girl was here, Michaels was too! " _What does she want ? Where is she going ? Has she noticed you ?_ " Marcus rattled off a list of questions as he unlocked the doors in the room. Anna had started to wake up, " _The packages are awake, not yet active. We're going to have to make this quiet as possible, do you see the primary target MM ?_ " MM meant Matthew Michaels. Ukrainian madhouse escapee. " _If you see him, observe only, do not engage, there are to many innocents around, the last thing we want is a international crisis on our hands_ " He meant a really pissed off woman with strange abilities. In this case Elsa

Snowfeather acted as id she didn't see those she sought right away, Acting instead as if she wanted to get a room at the Inn, stepping right behind the two angets and into the Inn, heading right for the counter clerk for a room key.

"She just walked past us...Not sure what she wants" the agent responded softly. "I think she might be after the girl and...thing that we picked up earlier." he added.

 _At that same moment in the alleyway_

Elsa poked her gaze around the corner of the alley mouth, watching as Matthew walked towards the Inn, She remembered it from the fight the year before. so why were they there ? Was that where the CIA were hiding ? The most obvious roughest Inn in Arendelle ? Remembering what Snowfeather and Mark said Elsa focused her eyes and took in the building carefully, every window she could see was wide open views. All but one. And it was looking directly above them. She poked Mark and motioned upwards. "I think Anna is up there, that's the only window that is closed on the inside and covered and there is one man in the hallway I can't figure out" His outline did not show up in old, blue or red, just plain grey

"Target spotted, repeat, MM spotted." The agent called out softly, but loud enough over the coms. "Following orders and simply watching..." He added.

Mark looked up to the building, eyes flashing bronze for a few seconds before he nodded. "Alright...wait for Matthew's signal." He said, deepening his stance so he could take off in a dead sprint right away. Ulnaus perched on the building above, to do as needed, which was dive through the wall. Yes, i through/i it. Enhanced by Mark's Magic, Ulnaus could briefly become a flying tank, and wreck just about anything he wanted within reason.

Mark closed his eyes, focusing his magic around Ulnaus's head, back, and chest and wings, a bronze-colored set of plated armor wisping into view as the bird shook and screeched softly, scaring off a group of pidgeons.

" _Alright stay on him, let me know his movements every five_ " Marcus said, he keyed the next channel " _Lobby team, we got us a possible hostile in the building, white hair black clothing. Do you see her ? Primary target is in sight of outside team. Keep an eye on the bitch and let me know her movements, copy ?_ " Marcus got off the comm as Barnabas returned "How is she ?"

"Mouthy as ever" Barnabas said, "Are you sure we didn't have to tie her up ?" He rubbed his chin where Anna had slugged him dead in the face before he was able to tase her out

"She's got an arm I'll say that. According to our sources, she had knocked cold a man pretty much twice her size about seven years ago." Marcus said. He then nodded towards the scampering about snowman body "Grab that will ya ? Stuff it back in the closet" Marcus had given up on trying to catch the runaway Headless Snowman

Outside the Inn in the alley Elsa watched as Ulnaus seemed to grow armor. She smiled thoughtfully. "Is he our way out ?" Wait... "Signal ? What signal ?" All she heard was chatter on the street. Nobody had noticed her yet, or really outright recognised her. More of a red hue to her dress then her normal teal or ice blue.

"Copy that; Target is simply moving towards us." the Agent said, watching Matthew carefully.

The Lobby team looked to Snowfeather and both nodded to eachother. "Affirmative, Boss. We see her, will keep you posted." one said softly, almost silently.

Mark shook his head. "He's our way in." he nodded to Ulnaus as the Armor went from a misty form to solid, and the massive bird stretched out his body and shook a little bit, the armor clanking together softly, and smoothly Mark's eyes opened, now blazing a bright bronze. "Once inside, set a Transport array for the roof where Ulnaus is perched, Ulnaus will guide Anna to you once his armor disappates and I'll check who that Grey person is." Mark said to Elsa; speaking not as her protector or friend, but as one of her mentors. Rarely did he do this, but when he did, you could bet your ass it was important.

Elsa nodded, She listened carefully as Mark spoke, Gerogina went to the mouth of the alley and looked towards the entry to the Inn as Matthew came within sight of two men keeping watch, which Georgina recognised as potential hostiles. Matthew went right past the two men and went inside, but apparently he did not go all the way in as he ducked into a side curtain and waited a minute for the two outside to follow him in.

Elsa looked up the wall for handholds. thgere was no firerope here. this was going to be easy. She hoped. a flick of the wrist and she had a ice ladder made. "Georgina, quick, up!" The walls were smooth with no footholds until two thirds up, in this case the window in question. As soon as Ulnaus smashed through she'd create the transport array to safety. It was possible they had to also figure out some traps. turning to Mark she said softly "How much damage are you planning on paying Freyla for this time ?" The last 'party' was about fifty gold pieces

Snowfeather took her key and turned towards the lobby doors briefly seeing Matthew enter, she barely nodded, just barely seen by the other man and turned towards the stairs heading up to the top floor, the same floor that held Anna and Olaf. Stepping onto the top step Snowfeather ducked behind a curtain and then lashed out at the only CIA man on the floor in the open. Dragging his limp body into a dark spot to hide him. Mentally noting not to kill, only to knock out.

It was then that a gunshot fired.

Inside the room however Barnabas still rubbing his chin asked thoughtfully, "Do you hear a screeching sound ?"

"I'm willing to cover the wall that I'm about to destroy. Twenty Gold Minimum." Mark replied to Elsa calmly, lowering his stance, heels already dug into a groove between the bricks that made up the ground to provide him with leverage to bolt whenever the signal was given.

 _ **BANG!**_

If that isn't the signal, Mark didn't know what was. He screeched loudly, taking off as fast as he could through the crowd as Ulnaus took off, flapping his wings hard while also screeching as he flew towards the wall and window, slamming hard into it, and destroying it, after tucking in his wings, leaving a large enough hole for a fully grown man to stand in without a problem.

Mark was two steps behind, well, five. Two steps on the ground, and three steps up the wall of the Inn before slamming his claw into the wall, and using his momentum to pull himself up further to grab the bottom of the hole Ulnaus so generously provided, and with a grunt he heaved himself up, landing on the edge with his feet as Ulnaus crashed into the room, flapping his wings wildly while screeching. He looked to Anna, and turned his head towards the hole in the wall, using his massive twelve foot wing-span to cover her escape since it was still covered in Armor while Mark slid underneath and stopped against the wall, his Eagle Vision spotted two figures in the next room, one grey, one red; an enemy and unknown. Undoubtedly one of them would enter the room to figure out what the hell was going on.

That's when Mark would strike. Smacking the gun from Barnabus's hand with his gauntleted hand before moving it to his neck, closing his fingers around the man's throat while also spinning, slamming him against the wall while pinning his free hand agaisnt the wall as well.

"Start talking, or I'll tear out your throat and feed it to my bird. Why are you Arendelle; what do you want with the Queen's family?" Mark growled, his glowing eyes staring into Barnabus's very soul it seemed from the sheer intensity of the moment.

"The fuck's going on in there ?" Marcus grumbled as he picked up the sound of gunfire. to Barnabas he said "Check her, make sure the package is secure" He then got on the comm " _This is Gray, someone give me a sitrep, stat!_ " He said as Marcus rolled his eyes and made sure his pistol was loaded, turning bacvk to the door he unlocked it and pulled it open, only to get yanked in, the door suddenly closed behind him as he spotted the girl, with another girl "You!" he said seeing Elsa, who gave him a very dirty look. Barnabas took all of one step before he was grabbed by a clawed hand and held against the wall, his pistol clattered to the floor as georgina picked it up.

Elsa went right to her sisters side "Anna, are you OK ?" With Ulnaus providing cover from the door view from the guy in the other room, Besides, the force which the door was locked, her own snowflakes, it would be a bit before the other man could get in. Anna was shivering. Georgina threw something, which was easily recognisible as Olaf's missing arm.

On the other side of the door as the arm got stuck under it Olaf was heard saying "Hey, let go of my arm... Oh hey, I didnt know I could bend that way... this just got a whole lot harder" His nose was then stuck in the lock, frozen solid, "Dont you hate it when your boogers freeze ?" Marcus just stared at the snowman, This had to be a weird dream, Since when could snowmen talk ?

As Barnabas was held against the wall by the throat he stared at Mark in fear briefly at the mention of getting killed, what did they want ? Simple, if it meant surviving, then hey why not tell. "We came for the insanity ward escapee Matthew Michaels. We've got orders from the up and up in America. they want him alive." When Mark mentioned feeding his throat to the massive bird only feet away Barnabas started sweating.. "Orders were orders, we figured to get someone close to him and propose a trade, Nobody harmed nobody killed, nothing damaged. That was the plan. All we want is Michaels. Nobody else."

"Is that why you took me ?" Elsa asked out of the blue, Barnabas tried to look at her, but he was unable to recognise her due to the coloration of her dress, and the fact she was clean and dry. And really pissed off.

"Uhhh... Took you ? When did we take you ?" The only other person he could recall taking was a girl, drenching wet, from a cabin.

"That was her, you fool." Mark growled, his grip tightening slightly around the man's throat. " _Get Anna out of here now! I'll deal with him._ " Mark barked out in Arabic to Elsa without turning his head. Mark then took a half step closer, his claws dangerously close to drawing blood from Barnabus's throat as Mark's tone darkened, and his voice deepened.

"Now then. You're going to tell me why you took the Queen of Arendelle in order to get one man. Then I'm gonna give you a choice; you forget you saw me and tell the CIA to leave lest there be war, or I can kill you, and have even more War; either way, the CIA is leaving Arendelle." Mark's voice was mostly a growl towards the end. Ulnaus turned his head, those Gold, predatory eyes staring at Barnabus from beneath the armor plated helmet Mark had conjured up.

Elsa smirked as Barnabas stared at her, she nodded at Marks words and pulled her sister to one shoulder. Quickly casting a transport array behind Ulnaus to safety, pulling Anna into it they disappeared from the room.

Barnabas snapped his gaze from Elsa to the man holding his neck, then briefly to the bird in armor. "I told you. We were doing as ordered, the woman, we didn't know who she was. We grabbed her, hooked her up as ordered, and then went into the dreams. Nexct thing I know, that bird rams into the rig, and I'm out!" Barnabas knew this was not going to end well for him at all.

" _What is going on, talk to me!_ " Marcus was all but screaming into the comms at that point before going to the door and opening it, looking into an empty hallway. Great, when you want something done right... Marcus stormed from the room, pulling out his pistol, but getting tased as he neared the hallway corner. Hitting the ground his weapon was unloaded and Snowfeather darted back downstairs. Two down, four to go!

Once Elsa and Anna were gone, Ulnaus closed his wings, folding them against his body again as he turned, talons clicking against the hardwood floor as Mark once more tightened his grip around Barnabus's throat. "Am I understood or not? The CIA Can leave peacefully; or I can kill you, and have the Royal Guard hunt you down and force you out."

Mark was done, and if he didn't have his answer soon, he _would_ kill Barnabus; hell, he wanted to kill something; anything! Mark's claws were itching...so to speak. "You've got five seconds to answer me." he said calmly. "Or it's bye bye throat." he added, a small trickle of blood coming from Barnabus' neck where each claw was pressing into it.

"We'll go" No they weren't, but his words rang true, Barnabas himself wanted out of that city back to Clevland! So yes, he was going, he wasn't coming back either! As soon as Mark let up on the grip, Barnabas was packing!

Snowfeather went right back to the lobby, two of the agents inside she easily spotted. They had their guns out, and everyone else was ducking for cover. Well this was going to be fun! The agent in the hallway started to wake up again, which allowed Snowfeather to clout him dead in the face as she scampered for the stairs, her knee connecting solidly with his nose, knocking him clean out

Mark smirked at the simple answer. "Thank you." He replied calmly, pulling Barnabus off the wall before slamming the back of his head into it and releasing his neck; effectively knocking him out with a resounding _Thunk!_ from the wall. For a few seconds Mark stood there, staring at the motionless man at his feet. He could kill him...but no. He got his answer; time to uphold his word. There are plenty of Templars to kill, and a Kingdom to keep safe. Killing Barnabus would likely incur the wrath of the United States Military; and that was something that Arendelle did not need, Queen with Ice powers or not.

Mark let out a deep breath and turned, sending Ulnaus away. The bird nodded as his armor disapated like mist while he flew away out of the hole in the wall. The massive bird then landed on the rooftop next to Elsa and Anna, his beak clicking a few times in greeting as his wings folded nicely at his sides. Mark meanwhile opened the door, and went out to the hallway, nearly running face-first into Snowfeather on his way out of the room and down the hallway.

" _What's it looking like out there?_ " He asked quietly in Arabic.

" _Absolute warzone, This is nothing like that botched Mtazo contract in Ukraine._ " Snowfeather replied looking down to the floor below, unnoticed by those down below. She spotted Matthew stepping into view, all four remaining awake agents had their guns on him. i"What the hell is he doing ?/i" Apparently Snowfeather missed the part where Matthew said what his plan was.

Thing was Matthew never told anyone his plan!

Thankfully it turned from a standoff, into a full on bar brawl within two seconds. One of the local soldiers off duty, Who Snowfeather could see was one of Freyla's own core command men. Grabbed one of the Agents by the arm and pointed the weapon up "Oy! That's our Queens teacher you're shooting at!" The gun went off once again, this time taking out the overhead light with a sudden POP.

Snowfeather snickered, " _That's our cue, aim to disable, not kill. Come on!_ " Easily over the rail she swandove towards the other agent in the sparking light of the lobby commons room.

" _Got it!_ " Mark agreed, following his teacher over the railing, landing into a forward roll as he charged one of the Agents, who in turn turned to shoot at him; but Mark merely raised his gauntlet, the bullets bouncing off the metal without any harm; not even scratching the glass-like finish of the metal as Mark then slammed into the man like a horse, throwing him off of his feet and over a table and then onto the ground, where he would lay unconscoius while Mark turned to charge another agent, dodging and ducking and weaving behind and around tables before picking up a chair and throwing it at the man, making him duck long enough for Mark to close the distance.

Firsts flew, as did feet as Mark stayed close to the man, never going more than arm's length away from him lest he try and use his gun again. The man threw a wild hook punch, which Mark blocked with the armor of his gauntlet, causing the man to shatter his own forearm before Mark quickly went for three swift pressure points, overloading the Agent's pain sensors in his brain and making him drop within seconds. Two down, what about the other two?

Sadly the CIA had backup this time around as Georgina came in, fists flying, quickly diving at the nearest CIA agent in full SWAT armor she started an all out brawl, first the mans arm armor went, then his chest, and finally his helmet was broken apart by use of the ropedarts. She kicked a chair at another agent, who was aiming at Mark, and then knocked over a third with the beaten agent thrown at him before diving for another.

Snowfeather saw the new group arrive and made for them, quickly breaking a lock she shouted something in Norse " _Everyone unarmed, quickly out the back!_ " It was going to get really messy! She shouted something and wove her way to the new group, within seconds it was once more an all out brawl. Furniture was broken, chairs and tables were thrown.

Another gunshot rang out. Matthew stood in the middle of the room, the two agents from outside had come in and one of them had fired.

Everything stopped.

Matthew stood there smiling. Within seconds snowflakes started flaking off his body as he smiled seeing Mark " _Keep the girls safe. I wont be long_ " Matthews' plan was to make the CIA think he was long dead. When in truth, he was hiding. Little did any of them know, it was going to be nine years before they'd see him again. Seconds later Mattew fell backwards, his body falling into snowflakes that flickered briefly before seemingly melting.

Two seconds later and the fight was on once agaIn.

 **On the rooftop outside the busted room**

 **At that same moment**

"Anna, Anna come on wake up. Wake up Anna, please" Elsa shook Anna lightly, her sister had been knocked out, captured, heck where was Olaf ? Elsa focused on Anna, who slowly woke up

"Elsa ?" Anna asked softly looking to her sister with tired eyes. Elsa smiled and couldn't help but laugh at her sisters question "When did you start wearing red ?"

"Come on, lets get you home, Ulnaus, can you carry two ?" Elsa said helping Anna to her feet.

"Wait, what ? We're flying ? Where are we anyhow ?" Anna asked confused.

"Roughwater District, Matthew gave himself up so we could get to you." Elsa explained, she turned back to Ulnaus

Ulnaus clicked his beak and spread his wings, lowering himself so that the ladies could climb onto his back with ease. Once aboard, he screeched loudly and flapped down hard, lifting up and away from the scene towards the Castle, powerful wings easilly keeping him and the sisters upon his back safe in the air before he began to circle slowly, diving at a slight angle to land in the Ice Courtyard, lowering himself again so they could get off of him, his talons having dug into the ice.

The flight was quicker then expected, yet to be expected it was safer then using a fast cast transport array, on top of that, her experience in using them was low and she was warned briefly on not using them too much in one go. Slidding off of Ulnaus' strong back she helped Anna to the ground, getting a gentle brush of the beathers on Ulnaus wing in thanks she called to Kai to help Anna. Olaf wandered in moments later his body all haphazard

"Man am I out of shape!" Olaf complained, one leg and his nose was his feet, his arms was his hair, and his stomach was his head with one of his legs as his arm and his hair as the other arm. he quickly put himself back together the way he should be. "Ah, that's much better."

A few minutes later and Elsa had Anna in bed resting in safety.

 **MEMORY SYNCED SEQEUNCE 4 COMPLETE**


	17. Seqeunce 5 Memory 1

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 5**_

 _ **Memory 1: Winter Goddess vs CIA Spooks part 2**_

 **19 December 2051**

 **Arendelle Castle Dining Room**

 **Noon**

The painter waited in the dining hall as requested. The massive painting beside him, wrapped in cloth. it leaned on the table. Seven months ago he'd been given the task to paint a painting for the Queen, for her birthday in fact. And he had gone to his fellow painters and historians for advice, and the best possible paints he could get his hands on. Elsa even arrived a month before asking if he could paint her a picture. A rather important picture at that. Elsa had requested a painting of her and her father, which the Royal Painter, a man named Thomas, had begun work on six months prior, just after starting work on the painting with Elsa, Anna and their parents on their cruise in Elsas dream. It was the painting of Elsa, Anna and their parents that Elsa had dreamed of that was finished, Elsa and her father would be unvieled on her birthday exactly in two days.

Thomas paced the room, trying to keep his thoughts in order. He had finished both paintings and the one he was going to reveal to Elsa that night was of her and her father, though brief as it was in the dream, Elsa wanted to capture that moment, and if she ever had the chance, to show her mother. But the main request she asked of him he was already working on. And it was finished.

Mark stepped into the dining hall, covered in a thin layor of soot. He smiled upon seeing Thomas, the Royal Painter had come through indeed! "Good morning Thomas, I see you have finally finished it ?"

"Yes, But I am nervous you see, a month ago Elsa came to me asking for a painting, this one, its done now." Thomas replied "I am nervous, I went to Jarius, a good friend of mine for the canvas you see, he had the size I sought, ready made too. He told me not to stop painting, to ensure that Elsa is happy"

Mark chuckled. "Don't worry, Thomas; she'll be thrilled. Trust me." he said with a wink.

"That is just it, Seven months ago you commissioned me through the Brotherhood to paint a gift for the Queen's birthday, that is two days from now, I am nervous, two days early! I mean, I know we do the celebrations for an entire week started tonight at sunset" Thomas was speaking of the annual Winter Birthday Festival, they had a Summer Birthday Festival for Anna every june, but apparently this one was a very big deal as even Anna was in on the surprise thanks to Blackmane spill a secret to Anna who promised to keep it.

Mark chuckled and merely patted the man's shoulder. "Just trust me; she'll love it. Call it...a gut feeling." He said, the noon bell ringing.

As if on cue the doors to the Dining room opened and Elsa stepped in, once more, like always it seemed, completely barefoot. Her dress still had that slight red hue to it however, Anna had said it looked good, which was fine with Elsa as far as she cared really. The ice teal, and ice blue stood out too bright at times and the red made it easier on her eyes too. She took all of three stepps into the room and spotted a rather soot covered Mark, who looked oddly happy for some reason, and a rather nervous Royal Painter. "Mark, Master Thomas, is something the matter ?" Oh boy was she in for a surprise for sure! And apparently more then one as her gaze rested on a massive cloth wrapped item leaning against the dining table.

 **Seven Months ago**

 **21 May 2051**

 **Arendelle**

 **Whitehall District**

The Whitehall district had dozens, if not around two maybe three dozen total blacksmith shops, about seven or nine of them were once more in very active operation at that point thanks to the recent liberation of the district. In one of them which looked out to the opened up massive courtyard of a sort of the massive Whitehall District Den Kristoff had taken a liking to. For about three hours he had wandered to each new Blacksmith shop, but they had no room in their forges for a third or forth man. This was his last stop, and to his luck, they had openings for three men.

So that was when Kristoff started asking the blacksmith, a man named Bashain, about making rings, and not just any simple ring or two, but important wedding rings fit for a Princess. Bashain knew who Kristoff meant, it meant that Kristoff wanted to provide a proper wedding ring for Anna.

Out of all of the blacksmith shops he could have visited on this day Mark chose the one closest by the Den of Whitehall; and as he saw Kristoff, he raised his eyebrows while lowering his hood. "Kirstoff! What are you doing here?" He asked jovially while shaking the larger man's hand firmly. Bulging from Mark's internal pockets was some materials and rolled up pieces of paper; which made the intimidating Assassin seem... more goofy than anything, but that Clawed Gauntlet of his always made sure people knew who he was.

Of course, that was both good, and bad.

"Mark ?" Kristoff turned when he heard his name called, the man looked kinda goofy with the bluges in his pockets. Bashain however seemed to recognise Mark. "I could ask the same of you." He pointed out his ring. "I'm trying to find a blacksmith that can make a ring, a wedding ring at that, for Anna and I" Kristoff explained. "I dont simply want to buy a ring, I want to have it made." He had a mold, the same mold he used when making the engagement rings. Given to him by a friend, Malik, a fellow Ice Harvestor

Bashain stepped around the counter, calling out Marks name "Master Wolfe, so good to see you!" Bashain had been good friends with the Wolfe family before the attack. And the subsequent shutting down of his own shop as well, reaching out a hand Bashain shook Marks hand in a very strong grip, yet very friendly manner. "What might I do for you ?"

Mark nodded in greeting to Bashain, smiling to the man and patting his shoulder before returning his attention to the mold of the ring. "Kristoff my friend; let me ask you a question: On a scale of one to the hotest temperature ever recorded in a Forge's smelter; how much do you love Anna?" He asked.

That was not an easy question, but after a brief second or two he answer. "I love her enough to make the engagement ring for her and I myself. With Malik's help. But I want to properly make the wedding rings, or have them made with the mold Malik gave me"

Mark smirked and looked to Bashain. "I know just how you can help me, old friend: I'll need your best smelter and equipment." He said. "Make that...two of each." He said. Then he returned his attention to Kristoff.

"If that is the case; then I will teach you to make them yourself; without any help. She'll appreciate the effort if you do it all yourself; trust me." He said. "I'll make a blacksmith of this Ice-Boy yet, Bashain!" Mark declared, putting an arm around Kristoff's shoulders and taking him into the forge.

"Now then; if you're to learn how to make something precious for the one who means the world; you need a valuable metal; Gold will do just fine. However you're going to learn how to make it flawless, so mistakes will be made; and again, Gold is perfect; it is soft and melts easilly. Once you think you've got the mold down; you can weave a stronger metal; platinum for instance, to make it stronger and even more valuable. As for the diamonds...I can't help you there. You'll have to visit a jewler for that; but I'd suggest subtly finding out what Anna's Birthstone is; or what her favorite stone is in general."

As he ranted he placed varius things on the table; three ingots of Iron, and four ingots of some strange, crystal-like material that seemed to glow slightly. He then turned to Kristoff. "Now then; are you ready to play with fire?" He asked.

Bashain nodded "After so many years of being shut down, being reopened is something to releish, the forge is yours Young Master Wolfe, It is good to have you back!" Bashain said going around to the halfdoor and holding it open for the two men to follow him to the back area. "Refiring up everything wasn't easy, but the smelters good and hot now." Basically since taking the tape off the front door and windows, Bashain had been working on the forge, getting it going again, repairing damage to areas of the smelter. The works.

All the tools were also laid out properly as well. everything the two would need to make a ring, or a sword, or something more delicate was all set out on various tables in the room. Two forges burned white hot, and the smelter poured choking black soot to the ground with some melted sludge. Bashain stepped aside as the threesome entered the back area with the forge "The forge is yours gentlemen. As long as you not mind my occasinal sword repair or making. I got three orders from the Arendelle Guard alone now already since opening this morning."

Kristoff had to smile, Mark was the guy that got him thinking on his engagement ring to Anna, Something he'd been thinking about how to do, when Mark, by chance the two of them at the Roughwater Inn had met up, chatted a bit, and Kristoff worked that night and month actually in making the engagement rings. They were simple items, nothing too hard to make, but Kristoff wanted them to be perfect, something to present to the Princess had to be flawless to begin with. So as Mark spoke of the various kinds of metal, Gold yes, that was his plan. and how they were easy to mold when heated properly.

Kristoff didn't know it, but he was in for a lot of heavy learning. Or was that hot learning ? It didn't matter, he wanted to make the rings, and he wanted them to be perfect, anything to present properly to Anna when they were done. When Mark turned to him and asked if he was ready to play with fire, Kristoff smiled "I thoughjt you would never ask" Yes, he was ready, he wanted to present the best rings he could to Anna for their wedding.

Mark smiled at his answer; and for four whole weeks he guided Kristoff on every step while Mark carried on his own business as well; cursing like a well-seasoned sailor every time he screwed up bofore dropping what he had into a bucket and tossing it into the smelter again to try once more. Mark was a good mentor; he and Kristoff ate together daily; Mark made sure Kristoff got sleep, and bathed; though for obvious reasons he didn't join Kristoff. In fact, Mark and Kristoff became very close friends through the ordeal.

Finally at the end of the forth week, Mark smirked; his toned muscular arms slick with sweat and sore from hammering. "Alright, Kristoff; you're ready. Weave in the Platinum. how? Simple; melt them at the same time, they'll mix and become an alloy." He said, smirking before returning to his work; scrambling before throwing a hammer at the wall in a fit of anger, cursing loudly. "Screwed up again!" he growled, dropping whatever it was back into the bucket he used to hold the molten metal that went into the smelter, and placed it into the hottest coals, sighing and wiping sweat from his brow he shook his head.

Four weeks, that was what it too, four weeks and three men were working daily, Bashain was working on swords, either repairing or making new weapons as needed for the Arendelle Guard orders he had been getting. In some cases he had three swords being worked on at a time over the course of a day. In many cases however Bashain was in the front part of the smithy, the shop portion was almost constantly filled with customers seeking weapons, armor, or repairs or information.

Finally it was set, four weeks and the design was perfected. Finally it was finished. Kristoff liked the idea of the platinum. Which then allowed him to add in the gems. He'd asked Elsa offhand of what Anna's birthmonth was. In this case it was June, which was coming up again, how coujld he have forgotten his own betrothed birthday ? A year after the great thaw he had helped Elsa organise the party for Anna. and somehow he forgot... inice going brain/i Kristoff thought brieflyAnd then went looking into some brief lore in terms of some searching he found what he sought. A few decent sized pearls, and two pieces of Alexandrite, already he had a idea of what the rings were going to look like.

"I have a few stones, some pearls as well, But I think I got this. or should we see a jewler for it ?" He showed Mark the design. Two pieces of Alexandrite surrounding a single halfcut pearl.

He raised an eyebrow briefly as Mark threw the hammer, well, it happened a lot recently, Mark was obviously trying to get something exact. Somehow. "You alright ? You think we should a brief break while the metals heat ?" He'd just put both the gold and the platinum into the smelter to get them mixing.

Mark looked at the design and smiled. "Very nice...I think she'll love it." He said calmly. If Mark knew Anna; and he should since she's around Elsa a lot, she was going to probably go crazy when Kristoff showed her the rings.

When asked if he needed a break Mark sighed, sitting in a stool and leaning back; breathing hard. "Yea...let's go get something to eat." he said. "It'll take a while before the Platinum melts to where you want it anyway." He added calmly, standing and stretching out his arms before putting on his jacket and stuffing the crystal-like material into his pockets again. Apparently they were too precious to be left alone. "Come; I know a decent steakhouse in a nearby district." He smiled at Kristoff and noded to Bashain as they left the shop.

Bashain waved as the two men left to get something to eat, he was working on a weapon order, which was a rather... important one considering of where it came from, when Elsa showed up at his counter with a design, he said he'd give it his best shot. She said to take as long as needed. As it was something she wanted to have made from something her mother had drawn in her journal.

Kristoff smiled, with a nod he followed Mark out, a steakhouse, there was something Kristoff had yet to really visit such a place. and if Mark knew of one in a nearby district, hopefully it was open. Recently a lot of shops were closed down or left in ruin in many areas. But Elsa had a map in the Royal Study, and sometimes that same map was in the dining room at dinner, apparently making plans for something important. All sorts of districts were listed on it.

After a few minutes of idle chit-chat and walking, the two arrive at a rather decent looking steakhouse in a lightly Templar infested part of the district. Lightly, of course, meaning that there were only patrols consisting of ten men each every two minutes in stead of constantly. However without his hood up and sooty appearance, Mark didn't look very much like a hated Assassin, nor did Kristoff look like the fiance of the Princess of Arendelle.

Sitting at a table finally Mark grunted and smiled. "Well; here we are. Decent steak here, doesn't take too long to cook." he said calmly, his eyes scanning the room quickly. Of course he had taken the seat facing the door, Kristoff sitting in the seat next to him; where he could easilly pull him behind the table if he needed to flip it for cover at any point.

"Now then; I don't suggest ordering any liquor today; or at all for that matter; if you give those rings to Anna while alcohol is on your breath, she'll be suspicious of you." She said. "Trust me; you don't want her to be suspicious; for one, if I know her; and I should considering how long I've been here in Arendelle now, she'll have us looking into your every movement, or she'll knock you out before questioning you when you wake up." He said, chuckling softly.

Kristoff snickered "I dont drink anyhow" the steak was soon ordered and smells were caught from the kitchen. turning to Mark Kristoff said quietly through the rukus of the room "What are you working on so hard for ? Swearing like you were moments ago, you've been slaving the last four weeks at the forge, what's eating you ?" He had no idea exactly what Mark was after, only seeing a drawing though brief in design. Yet well worked. "You need more then just a simple lunch break my friend."

In the darker corners of the dining room of the steakhouse area, two men sat observing, both men spotted their prey, and watched them both for long moments, one of them looking briefly to another man who moved to a table near them. All of them watching the pair of men carefully unseen.

Mark felt eyes on them and leaned in towards the table, resting his elbows calmly on the table as he talked, making it look as inconspicuous as he could. "Well, I can't show you right now; the mold isn't done yet." He said. "The plans are also a secret until its done. I should have it all done by the time you have the final product of the rings done." he added calmly. Then he lowered his voice to a mere whisper. "Don't look; but there are a few guys eyeing us from across the room. Malicious intentions, too I have no doubt." he muttered, eyes glowing bronze as he looked around, marking enemies and potential allys with his Eagle Vision.

He then reaised his eyebrows as the door opened and he noticed a distinct blue outline, unable to distinguish who it was, however aside from the distinct female figure. "Looks like we do have friends, however." He said, smiling. If this person was truely a friend, they would notice him by his glowing eyes.

'Dont look' normally meant 'look before you miss it' in some circles. Thankfully in this circle, Kristoff was smarter then that and half smiled, "Understandable, but you need to take more then a simple lunch break." He said, he sat upright as the server brought their orders, two steaks, a few nonalcholic drinks and some potatoes as well, all of it piled high with all sorts of other goodies, gravy, sauces, you name it they got it. Well mostly. Kristoff raised an eyebrow, well, a friend in this crowd was a welcome one for sure.

The men watching for some time kept an eye on everything, occasionally taking a drink, or observing, one man ordered food and waited for it to arrive. The third man however started to get up when he stopped as someone came right up to their table and sat down. A woman by the look of it.

So tense was the room and the two men that when Georgina sat down she nodded to the server "I'll take the same," She said, waiting only brief heartbeats before setting something on the table. "I thought I might find you here. Hello Kristoff." Georgina said, her melodic voice carried softly yet heard clearly by both men. She'd noticed Marks eyes and gave him a look that could be translated 'turn off the searchlights before I tell Elsa of your so called see through clothing vision' or translated as 'Have you been drinking again ?' either one worked.

"Georgina" Kristoff replied with a simple nod

Regardless of the look Georgina gave him, Mark didn't care, and stopped using his Eagle Vision as she sat, the glowing fading from his eyes as he smiled. "Georgina; always a pleasure to see you." he said as he began to eat and drink calmly, taking long, slow drinks as well as chewing small, precisely cut bites before nodding towards what she'd placed on the table.

"What's this? Orders from Elsa?" He asked calmly as he wiped his lips with his napkin.

"Worse" Georgina replied, she gave her mentor a steeled look, "How many people knew you were coming to Arendelle ?" She asked, opening the paper, it was a wanted poster, written in all sorts of langauges, two of which were easily recognised, Egyptian, and Chinese, the rest were unreadable. All of them wanted Marks head. "A wanted poster, for your head. I took this off a Templar messenger, one of the Weasles you might say." She said simply. "No I did not kill him, if I had then every templar in this district would be after my head right now."

As Georgina spoke with Mark and Kristoff the men who were going to attack the pair dispersed, it wasn't worth fighting that woman, not yet. Not when she had recently gotten her home back. no, they weren't risking it. Not now. The spies left. Soon they knew their time could come rightly. Soon.

Mark only chuckled at the wanted poster; "Look at that; they even got my nose right." he said, tapping on the paper with a finger before he picked up the paper and storing it in one of his pockets after folding it neatly. "Also; as for who knew I was coming to Arendelle, I didn't even know until Snowfeather said to get on the damn boat." He said calmly. "However, before coming here I also was causing havok for Templars all over the world on contracts without...too much of an issue." He explained.

"Snowfeather can elaborate more on that, I'm sure." he added finishing his steak and moving to finish his potatoes as the server brought Georgina her order.

When her order arrived she dug right in. "It appears then that they all now know that you are here in Arendelle, a Weselton messenger carried that poster and he was in the Malo District. I had to chase him on the rooftops for some time before tackling him there. The guy took off once I got his money and that poster." She said. "Tell me, when were you last in the Green Empire, China ?" She asked out of the blue. Her homeland. Sometimes she missed it, but she wouldn't leave Arendelle for the world!

Kristoff ate quietly, listening to the two speak. Finally he spoke up as Georgina dug into her meal seeing that she had ordered alcohol with her meal instead of tea or similar drink. "Does Elsa know you drink ?" He didn't have to ask actually, as others already knew. Anna for one. But Mark was right, if Kristoff had touched a drop, Anna would drop him.

"Yes," Came the soft reply, calm and simple as well. Yes, Elsa knew she drank, but then, Georgina made sure not to drink around the queen. That was rather... disastorus.

Mark coughed a few times at her sudden question and tilted his head. "Green Empire? Oh jeeze...um... Two years before I came to Arendelle? Yea, two years." He said. "Beautiful place, blew up a Templar factory; they were mass producing weapons." he said. "Did it alone, too; my partner at the time came down with the flu, leaving me alone. Lucky fool; I wanted to be the sick one. Then again; he would have died..." he added the last part with a solemn shrug.

Mark ordered himself another drink before he finished the one he was currently sipping at to ensure he didn't run out.

"Anyway, yea. I got a gnarly scar from that explosion, though; shrapnel tore apart my chin." He said, stroking his goatee lightly.

"Then you will be... happy, to hear that your target is still alive and working with the Prince and the Duke at this time." Georgina also found out something a little more important. "But right now that is the least of our worries. Someone else has a poster just like this, the Weasel told me before he took off. Nine men have this same poster. They wanted both of you." Meaning him and Matthew. "Now in light of what has happened, Just you." They were still in Arendelle, but they were well hidden the CIA.

Kristoff choked on his patato. "You mean those idiots that kidnapped Elsa and Anna a few months ago ? They're still in the kingdom ? I thought they had left" Kristoff was in a mood for a while when that happened, but with Anna safe and in bed he relented but never let his future wife out of his sight for a week until Anna said he could leave her be. Besides, Sven got lonely at the time too, no lady Reindeer or even other deer to begin with to hang around with and just be with somebody.

"Yes, them, they are still in Arendelle" Georgina finished her steak and started on the patato, looking to Mark as she spoke. "They are looking for you. But refuse to say why. I fear they may try something soon. Plus there is also that shipment, you heard no doubt that Elsa received notice of a shipment of goods to be stopping here briefly before continuing inland to the eastern kingdom ?" She meant Sweden, Stockholm Sweden was receiving a shipment of several hundred billion in gold from England. "I was barely able to corner one, learn a secret, though I am glad it did not go that far to begin with." Georgina had to resort to some nasty things to get one of those CIA men to talk. They wanted nothing more thne to talk with Mark, and Matthew, it concerned something important to Mark but the guy was so freaked out by Georgina that he refused to say what exactly the CIA wanted.

"I know he's alive; I'll kill him next chance I get." He muttered calmly, taking a drink calmly. "Anyway; Kristoff and I are attending to rather personal business; so I don't have time to chase down these hooligans with my face on a piece of paper." He added, thinking softly. "We have a score of new recruits from Whitehall, don't we? What better way to teach them how to effectively free-run than to have them chase those couriers?" He asked, smiling. Snowfeather was going to do one of two things upon hearing this: Either say it wasn't a bad idea, or find Mark and slug him in the gut.

Either way; he still had a point.

Either way; he was going to keep smithing, regardless of his noteriety.

"Speaking of free-running, someone has to teach Elsa one day..." He added, shrugging.

"Sounds like a plan to me" Georgina replied, Kristoff nodded at the mention of their personal business. Having finished the ring mold only that morning, and Mark needing a break, which he was not yet taking enough time to relax as it was. It wasn't easy. Georgina smiled however, Snowfeather would have most likely heard it, briefly hearing the cry of an eagle, yes, she heard that. Most likely to refer to the new recruits, seven so far, No doubt Snowfeather would do one of two things, say it is a good idea, or slug Mark in the stomach, but, knowing Snowfeather, it'd most likely end up as both. Small wonder that Mark didn't upchuck each time he was hit. Nomatter what kind of armor he wore Snowfeather always hit her mark dead on.

About an hour later and the three left the tavern, Mark and Kristoff for the blacksmith shop, Georgina for the Roughwater Den to oversee some new contracts for the newest recruits. This was going to be a long day.

 **Five weeks later**

 **16 July 2051**

 **Arendelle, Whitehall District Blacksmith Shop**

 **Midafternoon**

Kristoff entered the shop, Mark was still at work it seemed. "Still working on that ?" He'd never seen exactly what Mark was working on, Mark never let anyone see it, always saying that when it was done, then someone could see it, that was five weeks before. Now was the fun part. "You've been slaving in here for weeks, how are you even able to breathe in here ?"

"How? With my lungs." He said; chuckling softly before shaking Kristoff's hand. "I've done it. I finally got an Iron mold of what I was making." He said; his voice estatic with energy as he let out a strangely deranged, happy giggle holding up a necklace. "Look! It can even come apart!" he said, taking it apart down the middle with a _click_

Looking around Mark's lip twitched softly before he smiled again. "Can you keep a secret, Kristoff?" He asked, at the man's nod he smiled wider. "I'm Making Elsa a necklace for her birthday; this is the prototype. Here, here! Check it out!" he said excitedly, handing it to Kristoff so he could examine it in the dim light of the forge.

Kristoff whistled as he held the necklace prototype. "A gift for Elsa huh ? Wow, She'll love this for sure." He said, saying nothing of the sudden weird giggle from Mark, he must just be too happy over finally getting the prototype completed. "That's what, seven or so months away isn't it ? No matter. Point is, speaking of Elsa" He handed the necklace back to Mark "She and Anna want you at dinner tonight, Elsa says its important as its the anniversary dinner of her becoming Queen." It had been an eventful first year since Mark had arrived in Arendelle. And that night was the first offical night at the Ice Palace with Elsa, with no outside influence either.

"See you at Dinner ?" Kristoff said, a half smile on his face as he said offhand "I'd recommend getting cleaned up, soot near Elsa isn't a good thing lately, Marei is always going crazy cleaning up around Elsa, its starting to drive her a bit crazy"

Mark chuckled and wiped some soot off of his shoulder idly. He took the necklace back and smiled, balling it in his right hand, balled into a fist as he put it over his heart. "I wouldn't miss it for the world. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to head somewhere to get clean." He said.

As Kristoff left the forge, Mark smiled and chuckled, making sure to pocket the perfected Iron necklace and mold he had made in his coat. He was about to leave when he stopped; he had almost forgot! The 'Quartz' needed to be moved. He reached forward with a bare hand and grabbed one of the four huge ingots, when suddenly time froze; and his Eagle Vision was forced into Activation. Around him was nothing but a black space with Golden lines running horizontally and vertically in every direction. His muscles were locked, and suddenly he was turned around to find a figure staring at him; a figure with a striking resemblance to Elsa. His brown eyes, blazing bronze from the Eagle Vision, stared in wonder and confusion.

"Greetings Guardian" The woman replied in a soft medlodic type tone. Her golden eyes blinked, she was barefoot, and dressed in ancient Arendelle garb from eons before. Long before time was recorded. Her face was thinner then that of Elsa, yet her similarties did not end there, her hair was braided in the same design, and yet, she held herself with an air of someone in command of many. She stepped closer to him. He could see that she had a elegant longsword upon her back.

"Who are you ?" Mark's voice was strained; unsure if he should remain indifferent, or slightly submissive with his tone of voice. She looked like a queen, or someone of high-social standing. His eyes darted to the sword upon her back; the craftsmanship of the handle looked familiar, but he couldn't put it his finger on it. Blinking slowly he stared into her golden eyes. "And why call me Guardian?" He added

She smiled, "I am Elena" She replied softly, her tone seemingly indifferent, yet soothing. Lines of pale gold drifted around them as the same lines held Mark in place. "It is what you are." She continued. A vision appeared "Those that seek access to it must not get it. premature access will distablise the region" the vision showed several men, one of whom was the Duke of Weselton, behind him was the unmistakable Templar Cross. The vision shifted to show Arendelle in ruin and fires raging.

Mark's eyes seemed to narrow when the vision came to him; a feral look of rage in his eyes at the sight of the Templar Cross and Arendelle burning. It was then he noticed a subtle smirk on Elena's face; he'd just confirmed the title of Guardian with his reaction to the vision. "A-alright... but what is "it" that those fools mustn't get their greedy little paws on?" He asked calmly, the intensity of his Eagle Vision raising as power surged through his body; and a massive headache slammed into his body like a truck.

Briefly a vision appeared, showing a wall, seemingly blank, before pulling outwards, overhead of a massive building. The massive E shaped building. In the vision it was clean and well kept, the grounds were worked, and people lived there, servants, workers and family alike. Steam rose from holes in the ground near the back or south point of the massive building. Was it the Whitehall District Den he was seeing ? "You must protect her, your heart will lead you astray, but you will return." The vision shifted, this time showing the ancient forge lighting up, which in reality, it just had. Very briefly a path was shown on how to get to it.

Elena stepped among the visions, they were like little TV screens no larger then a common identity disc that Snowfeather kept; The last vision she passed floated into view, it showed seemingly a beautiful crystal, clear as glass yet glittery like ice. "The heart of the Mountain. Protect her, Protect your family." the vision pulled back, the 'heart of the mountain' refocused on the Arendelle throne room, seven men dead at Elsas feet, in her hands were two swords.. the vision focused on her as she sat heavily on her mothers throne chair, one sword falling to the floor. Each man had the Templar Cross upon their body.

Mark's gauntlet materialized upon his arm, the claws glowing brightly for a second before his hand contracted into a fist while the crystal was shown to him. He breifly glanced to his gauntlet, then to the crystal. _Duradaeden!_ That's what he needs to protect Elsa. It was Elsa that he was to protect, right? Her and Anna both? That's what his heart told him.

When the Whitehall Den was shown to him, he didn't see it as an E anymore; but as a W. W? Wolfe? His suspicions were confirmed as he saw the forges activate and the steam rising from the vents. This was a secret, even to him. He'd need to ask Elsa for access to her Mother's Private Library; if one existed. Research needed to be done. Unless there was one in the old Whitehall... no, Wolfe Manor. Hidden beneath where the Templars couldn't touch it. Another jolt of pain ran through Mark's body as the power surged again; the knowledge on how to forge the _Duradaeden_ suddenly becoming clearer than ever before to him as he winced, and began panting.

"W-where...should I start?" He asked softly.

Elena lifted a pale nearly seethrou hand, the necklaces Mark had constructed in iron floated into the air between them. A vision formed, _Duradaeden_ soon took the place of the iron in such perfect quality that it could never be matched. For a long moment not even Elena spoke as the pale gold lines danced around them. Holding up the necklace, still appearing as if of _Duradaeden_ she said softly and kindly as well "Do as your heart dictates, Guardian, Protect her, protect them, Protect your family." The vision appeared behind her as she stepped aside the necklace floating between Mark and the vision, it showed Elsa, overjoyed at what Mark had made, the Painter, Thomas, was also in the vison, unvieling a priceless, yet extremely important gift to Elsa.

The vision shifted a final time, this time showing the Duke arriving enmasse to another city, Oslo by the look of it, their massive airfields and airships far above under construction, he wore the Templar cross on his chest among the many medals. Hans was also seen, but his clothing seemed more adorned to that of a leader, but he did not possess any medals or Templar sigil upon his clothing. Finally another person entered the vision, this one gaunt and thin. Long whispy white hair in thin braids and dark robes revealed herself with a very wicked looking sword. "The past cannot be resurrected. Protect her, Protect the Heart of the Mountain." Finally the vision shifted once more to show that strange glittery crystal, which slowly zoomed out to show it was in fact Elsas own heart. Clear as glass, yet cold as ice.

The vision of Elsa showed her among a parkland of a sort, placing something upon a stone marker. In her hand she held her half of the necklaces. And then she put it on as the vision faded

As Elena spoke to protect Elsa, she faded from view, as did the strange etherspace, in the span of what seemed like many hours, it was really only two minutes, maybe even less then two minutes.

Mark's eyes focused on the necklaces; mesmerized by how they will look. With the vision ingrained in his mind, he knew what he had to do. Again came the words: "Protect. Protect. Protect." Mark's eyes squinted shut as another vision came to his head; what was the best way to protect something? Armor. Indestructible, flawless Armor. That's what he needed. To complete the set that started with simply his gauntlet.

Mark seemed to huff in agitation at the sight of the Duke and Hans;and as the vision started to fade, Mark was plopped down onto the ground, landing on his hands and knees. He heaved and coughed, standing and managing to direct his puke into the barrel used to cool off the metal while forging. He panted hard for a few seconds before using a rag to wipe his lips. Slicking his hair back, he grabbed the other three massive ingots of iDuradaeden/i and managed to stuff them into his coat so they weren't obvious.

With his newest assignment, apparently given by Elsas own ancestor, he knew in his heart he could not refuse to come to dinner when Elsa requested him there!

It was time to get to work, but first, he had a very important dinner to attend, and who was he to refuse the Queen's invitation ?

As he stepped from the blacksmith shop, one last thought locked onto his mind. The iHeart of the Mountain/i wasn't gold or steel, or metal or gems. But a very important person, It was Queen Elsa. Someone who, somehow, long ago, ages into the past, his own family had protected hers.

 **Present Day**

 **19 December 2051**

 **Arendelle Castle Dining Room**

 **Noon**

Elsa stepped over to the soot coated Mark, a thin layer, she noted, coated him from head to foot, yet he seemed happy about something, almost as if elated about something important. Well that was worthwhile was it not ? But what was he so excited about ? She turned to Thomas, the Painter too seemed happy, almost nervous with excitement actually. Then her eyes rested on the cloth wrapped item leaning on the dining room table. "Is that ?" It was too soon wasn't it ? The painting she wanted of her and her father, mother and Anna ? But, she requested it a month ago!

Mark chuckled at Elsa's inability to finish her question about the cloth-wrapped painting on the table. "You should open it, my Queen. I believe you'll be very pleased." he said calmly. "Thomas has been working harder than you would believe on it." he said. "Once you're done with that... well..." Mark smiled bashfully and chuckled, " _I_ have something for you." he said calmly, stepping back and asking one of the butlers for a wet rag. Once it was brought to him, he wiped his face and hands with it to get the soot off and make himself look a little more presentable.

At those words Elsa pretty much scampered to the cloth wrapped massive painting and gently undid the cloth. Staring in complete joyful shock as the velvet cloth fall away, and there it stood, the painting she and her family had sat for in her dream. Finally realised. She was so happy that she was unable to speak right away. Everything about it was so richly detailed, almost as if her parents were still alive, and they just sat for it!

"Your highness ?" Thomas asked at her sudden quiet, she had bowed her head slightly but was happy. "Is everything alright ?"

She nodded "yes, Yes, everything is perfect. its beautiful. It is exactly what I was hoping it would be." Elsa replied, already trying to think of where to hang it properly. the throne room had very little paintings in it, so they'd put it there. It'd fit nicely!

Mark smiled at Elsa's reaction to the painting. Riding the wave of happiness, Mark walked up and tapped Elsa's shoulder. Once she turned, he lifted up his hand; the necklaces dangling from his hand. The _Duradaeden_ metal reflecting perfectly. The design was perfect: A scorpion on top of a snowflake; Elsa's snowflake, all on top of the Arendelle Assassin's Crest.

"For you, my Queen, made from the best metal possible." he said softly, smiling.

Elsa turned as Mark touched her shoulder, OK that was new, He rarely touched her as he just did if at all, so it had to have been the first time. Wasn't it ? She looked at him slightly confused, but her eyes locked on the necklaces in his hands, he held two of them, She recognised her snowflake right off. There was no missing it, she reached a gentle hand up. the necklaces glittered brightly, they were beautiful! "How did, did you make this ?" As her hand touched one half of it, a glittery thin layer of permafrost floated onto the metal, making half of it, no, all of it, glow much brighter, just her touch was all it needed to look the way the vision showed it. She stood still then and motioned for him to put it on her.

Mark chuckled and very delicately placed the necklace around her neck, letting it hang to just below her collarbones on her upper chest. He smiled and then lifted his side, connecting the two peices with a sharp _click!_ sound before smiling wider, disconnecting them after letting her see the whole thing, and then he put on the other half.

"How I did it is a matter of... fondness. 'Twould be rude _not_ to present my Queen with the finest gifts for her birthday; 'Twould be ruder still to do it late; so I decided that today would be perfect." He said calmly. "When Matthew left, he made me swear to protect you; I figured I might as well find a way to symbolize it for you. For ..." he hesitated, a small blush on his face. "... for us."

He then took a small step back; unsure how she'd react.

Her eyes had something that Mark could have sworn wasn't there before, absolute unadulterated joy, maybe even love, but he could have been seeing things as she let him put the necklace on her, it glittered with a thin layer of permafrost as it rested perfectly just below her collarbone and right at her dress neckline. Directly above her heart rather then over it, She lifted it up in her hands, her smile brightning the room as she looked it over. "Its beautiful!"

Briefly at mention of Matthew, her smile faltered, but returned to its bright smile when she remermbered "Matthew told me to trust him. Then I never saw him again. I trust him, and if he told you before he left to be here for me, I trust you too!" She smiled and pretty much tackled him in a hug.

It was a few minutes later when lunch was properly served and the beautiful painting of her family from her dream was placed in the throne room where it belonged. Of course Elsa insisted that it be revieled until that evening when the celebration began offically The Royal Painter agreed

"I'm glad you like it, My Queen." He said calmly, and then as she tackled him in a hug, soot fell off of his coat and onto the floor in tufts as Mark returned the hug with the same amount of energy; though it was more gentle than usual. His body was sore from non-stop work in those ancient forges. "I'm glad you trust me, Elsa. It'd feel wrong if you didn't." He whispered softly to her while they hugged.

After that, he was more than happy to join her for lunch; after all for the past seven months he'd been living practically on water, bread, and excess magical energy from the forges, fueled by something definitely inhuman. He didn't talk much whilst eating; he was too busy stuffing his face full of the delicious food time and time again. Seconds, thirds, fourths, hell, even fifths and he still wasn't full. Finally after about seven plate fulls of meat, potatoes, cabbage, cheeses, and about fifteen cups of sparkling wine, he was full, and feeling a little bit of a buzz from the alcohol.

Elsa was barely onto her second plate of meats and cheeses and a fourth mug of hot coca with lavender when she noticed Mark going after his seventh plate of food and tenth glass of sparkling wine. The man must have been starving to go after that much food! Even so, the table would be relaid within an hour anyhow, it was loaded with food at all hours of the day and night to begin with alone! The soot on Mark had been cleaned away, and only a scant bit of it or two had gotten into her own hair, but it was easy to clean out.

Finally done she watched Mark go for his last cup of wine, counting fifteen glasses of the stuff, and she only had three mugs of hot cocoa! Finally when he sat back fully refreshed and what she could see, possibly a bit buzzed, she asked him "Did you even eat the last seven months ?" Each morning Ulnaus was outsaide her window keeping careful watch, and each day too, nothing went wrong the last seven months. What kept him from eating or drinking ? And why were his eyes brighter ? She had a content smile on her face, remembering his touch, he never did that before. Ever. What made him change so much ?

Mark paused for a second after her question of his eating habits over the last seven months, almost as if waiting for someone else to answer. "Oh, who me? Um.. y-no... no.." he paused again. "I mean yea, y-yea ye-yea...yea...I think I did. Um... Yea...no wait... Um. ... Yes?" He shrugged. It seemed that those seven months of isolation have dulled his socializing skills to the point where he found himself unable to hold down a thought or answer from time to time.

He cleared his throat and reached for another glass of sparkling wine. The light in his eyes faded after a few seconds, making them return to their usual brown selves. Mark took a sip of the wine and sighed, leaning back and crossing one leg over the other knee while holding the goblet in his right hand calmly as he looked to Elsa. "So...um...how're things? Everything good? No one bugging you?, um...nothing out of the ordinary? How's Georgina? Matter of fact, how's Kai? He still doing what he does best?" One question after another in a very slightly slurred rapid fire. Once he was done with the questions, he knocked back the last of that wine in his cup and set it down on the table before shaking his head. "Ooh boy...too much fruit...not gonna feel good later...oh boy..." he began to mutter to himself insecantly before the sound of Ulnaus tapping on one of the windows snapped him out of it and he returned his attention to Elsa while Ulnaus appeared suddenly on the back of Mark's chair, as if digitized like Mark's gauntlet.

Elsa raised a eyebrow, OK, this was interesting. Mark drunk ? She smiled however when he turned his attention to her, iGood/i, she thought, ihe's got his eyes on me, perfect. Wait, what ?/i Why was she wanting his eyes on her ? She mentally kicked herself and said in reply "Mark, its been seven months, the only person that passed away recently if at all was Marei's mother, Gerda, you were here for the funeral last year in the spring" She said. Kai was still the butler, Elsa insisted he select someone to take over for him and retire, and relax, maybe even become her advisor where she wanted him the most. "Kai is still the head butler, he refuses to step down to be my aid in the council."

She smiled, hearing his words, "Georgina is fine, she is back home, her manor, the Roughwater Den, has been expanded, she is rebuilding and renovating a few shops within the marketplace there. Two inns have been rebuilt as well" Elsa said, pretty much giving a report to a elder of a sort, which in this case, with just her and him, was of Assassin Business to be sure. "Georgina also gave reports of recent templar incursions in Arko, and Greensky districts, but its nothing she couldn't handle." Elsa set a brown folder type envelope on the table before Mark, "Everything is in there."

Elsa watched Mark, then, taking in his body carefully, when she first met him he was thinner, but now he seemed, stronger, more... built up. Why was she thinking like that ? It didn't matter right then, all of a sudden she wanted to go on a walk. With him. Just her and Mark, alone. Maybe see Pabbie ? It was snowing outside, so... "Do you feel up for a walk ?" She said giving him a look, one that said simply 'pay attention to me before I freeze your ass to the chair you are sitting in' or something like it, "Just the two of us ? Explore Arendelle, maybe see Pabbie ?" She always saw Pabbie the day before her birthday, sometimes he came to them with the whole group

Mark nodded along with Elsa's words, showing that he was in fact paying attention. He snatched the brown envelope from her and stashed it in his coat for later review. "Tell me; how is our security in the Whitehall District?" He asked out of the blue. "Whatever it is, I want it doubled." He said; not as a man speaking to a queen, but a mentor speaking to a lower ranking assassin who happens to also be a Queen. "The Den is... important to me. Let's just say that it isn't an E, but a W." He said, leaving it at that with a quick cough to clear his throat.

"A walk? With you? Alone? Um... Sure...yea, why not?" He asked calmly, smiling at her as Ulnaus tilted his head, pecking Mark's head, which prompted Mark to smack the massive bird right in the beak before returning his attention to Elsa.

"Freyla already has that district swarming with patrols, in the streets around the den itself there's nine patrols of ten men each, then scattered through the district, smaller patrols of four and five in areas keeping careful watch" Elsa said calmly, as if giving a report on the current happenings. She looked at him confused, the Whitehall Den, wasn't that a E shaped building ? How was it a W shape ?

She smiled and stood, yes, they could go on a walk, they needed it. She held her hand out to him, "Shall we, just the two of us with Ulnaus keeping watch above ?" She knew she could trust Mark with her life, Matthew said to trust him, and when Mark was entrusted to guard her and keep her safe, she could trust Mark too. But what she did not know was just how well he was going to keep her safe.

Mark seemed nervous, but also seemed to calm down a little as Elsa described the level of secrurity. Then he remembered a pressing question on his mind, but before he could ask, Elsa extended her hand; and almost as if he had no choice he took it gently in his, standing with a smile. "We shall. Ulnaus won't stay too close; just close enough. I hope that is acceptable?" he asked calmly before offering her his arm once they faced the door.

"After the walk, I have something I would like to ask you, if you don't mind, Elsa." He added calmly as they began to walk. Quickly the two left the castle grounds, Elsa had to wave off a few soldiers wanting to follow and act as escort. Mark was escort enough, besides, she wanted to be with him for the time before the week began, for all she knew, it'd be her only chance to just be the two of them.

 **Arendelle**

 **Malo District**

 **Twenty minutes later**

Twenty minutes passed as they walked along a bridge, a wide road to a district Elsa had visited only once in her life, very briefly in fact. Malo was a fabrics district, all sorts of cloth sellers and clothing makers resided there. At least, when she was a child, now it felt as if it were a shell of its former glory. As they walked through a bazzar of sorts she took it all in. Only a scant few clothing sellers, one operating Arendelle Bank. And then a shop she recognised as a harbor keep of a sort. As a child Matthew had informed her of such good men to look out for and request their aid when it was needed.

She looked around, briefly confused. How far were they from home ? She then noticed as they stepped out of the main bazzar onto a deck of a sort. then she remembered, Malo District was built almost completely on the water with all sorts of peirs holding up everything as needed with proper supports. She looked around, she didn't see any Templars anywhere. So where where they ? Turning in a circle she looked around confused. Her left hand on Marks arm as her right arm was hooked in his own left arm as they walked along. "There are so few shops open, I do not see why. I do not see any enemies either." Enemies, that was what she called the Templars most days. Like now. Where was their den ?

Her grip on his gauntlet was light, yet at any second it could tighten, possibly to a deadly bonebreaking grip. But at that moment, she was lightly holding his arm. The Queen of Arendelle, with a man, an Assassin at that. Not even royalty. Some people tried to express distaste, yet others talked those trying to bash their queen for her friends she made down in such a manner that when Elsa was seen talking to or with the Assaassins, or even commonors to begin with she was well respected and in many cases invited into homes without hesitation

It was then that soft music, carnevale type music, reached her ears

As Mark looked around he smiled; the rather empty streets would make a good training ground... this was going to be good. Already in his mind he was scheming something; something that needed to be taught to Elsa. As the music reached his ears he spoke. "Elsa; tell me, what experience do you have with free-running?" He asked calmly, looking to her with a questioning look.

She looked at him confused, She hadn't really thought about it much. "Not a lot, sadly." She admitted softly, "Matthew tried to teach me what he could before Anna was kidnapped by those men. He taught me mostly on how to fall properly and look at my surroundings to climb when needed." She looked to Mark confused, not getting what he was aiming for just yet. She had no idea what she was in for, come to think of it, nither did he "Why ?"

Mark only smiled at her answer and unhooked his arm from hers by grabbing her hand and twirling her as if dancing before drawing a step back, his arm sliding down hers and across her neck gently before he pulled back his arm as he smiled. "Perfect; I'm going to give you a crash course on Free-Running 101. The first and only rule is this:" He held up his index finger, "No fear or doubt allowed! If you're going to run up a wall or jump over something you have to do it without question. Other tips include being able to adapt the shape of your body to fit any situation you find yourself in... to keep yourself moving as effectively as possible." He said.

Then he smirked like a mad-man.

"Since I know you need a bit of motivation to suddenly to do this; I've stolen back the necklace I gave you; catch me and take it back, and its yours forever." He said, holidng up his arm and letting it hang just in front of her as he smiled and chuckled.

At the sudden twirl she giggled softly Oh he knew how to dance too ? That was wonderful because that night when the celebration offically began was when things really go going. She was going to ask him to dance for sure with her that night! Once back on her feet and not dizzy as much as she suddenly was she listened to Mark as he spoke "OK, that makes sense, just keep moving, no doubts or stopping. Ok that's good but what is my... HEY!" Her hand went to her neckline, How on earth did he get her side of the necklace back ? She reached for it, but Mark kept it just out of her reach.

She took a step forwards, trying to grab both her necklace and his arm, but when she did so, he took a step back, the smile never leaving his face, one was in fact creeping onto her own face as well. She took another steo closer, and he took another step back. Oh this was going to be good! "Mark, what are you getting at ?" She tried grabbing at her necklace fast as she was able, only ran into one thing, he was too fast for her still, or was he toying with her ?

"Like I said, Elsa. You have to catch me if you want this back." He said while pocketing the necklace before quickly turning and bolting down the road; knowing however that Elsa with her lighter frame could keep up with him on foot, he made a sharp and sudden turn, running up the nearest wall for three whole steps before grabbin a ledge with his left hand, lifting himself up as suddenly, in a beautiful digital glow, a second gauntlet appeared on his right arm, allowing him to jam his fingers into the wall and pull himself up with no problem.

"Look for the ledges with your Eagle Vision, Elsa, and keep up!" He said while climbing, pulling himself to the top of the slanted rooftop and looking down at her while he waited for a second before bolting again, this time across the rooftop, leaping from building to building without any trouble; without any fear. "Come on slow-poke!" He called out to her with a playful, teasing voice as he again turned sharply and dove off of a building, pidgeons scattering as he landed in a hay-cart, hopping out of it and bolting across the street as fast as his strong, muscular legs could carry him.

"Hey!" She darted after him, having to stop quickly and turn hard before ramming dead into some residents of the kingdom grabbing the corner to pull herself into the alley as Mark darted up a wall to a beam and then upwards to the rooftop. Her face set Elsa half smiled and did the exact same, darting up the wall and grabbing the ledge just as Mark had, but when she got to the rooftop and stood on it she looked around, _Now where did, oh, there he ... goes ?_ "Mark!" Elsa did not know Mark had landed in a haycart until she got to that ledge seeing him get out and dart across the street.

She looked around, her vision refocusing slightly she spotted it. rather then jump off the roof as he had she ran to a cable strung across the street connecting the rooftops. She scampered across, her momentum keeping her balanced perfectly as he made for another wall down below. She was already wondering why this ... lesson, but then she realised it, The more she ran through the rooftops and streets trying to catch up to Mark, the sounds of all sorts of musical groups playing across the air in the destrict gave her the sense to keep going at it.

Mark inhaled slowly, keeping his muscles filled with oxygen before his ears picked up something over the hammering of his heart, the beat of the music, the cheering of the people, and the pounding of his feet on the roof-top. With Elsa mere inches behind him he suddenly shifted his weight, bolting sideways and changing directions faster than Elsa had ever seen him move before whilst raising his hood with his newly gauntleted right hand. He heard something, and so did Ulnaus, who landed nearby, preening, along with at least fifty other birds of various sizes and breeds.

With the screech of an eagle, Mark literally leaped off of the building he was on, his hidden blade sliding out from the wrist of his Left gauntlet. As he fell, he landed atop a Templar, slamming his blade into the man's chest while using him as a cushion for his landing. Turning and drawing his sword Mark began combat with the other ten Templars that were harassing a young woman, who was currently covered in dirt and trash and god knows what else due to the harassment of the Templars. Mark fought ferociously, kicking, kneeing, elbowing, punching, smacking, slashing, stabbing, cutting and even headbutting the Templars as he fought, the birds that Ulnaus brought with him swarming the enemies he stunned to peck at their eyes and necks and to add a fear factor to combat, allowing Mark to easilly handle the men he was fighting, many of whom were the same size if not bigger than Mark was.

She was about to grab him, get her necklace back, when Mark pretty much stopped and turned on a gold piece and took off in another direction without missing a beat, had she not created a fast wall of ice to turn herself around to follow, she'd not see him pull up his hood. And that _always_ meant trouble. And then she heard it too, voices, taunting voices. About a dozen if not more of them, nearby too. She darted after Mark once more briefly stopping at the edge of the rooftop to look into the courtyard below taking it all in.

There.

Briefly taking a momentary breath she stepped off the rooftop, her hidden blades matrialising out of naught by crystal blue ice on her arms as she slammed down ontop of two templar soldiers with a crash. Quickly withdrawing her ice sword she split it into two pieces and defended against several soldiers as Mark took on the rest. The woman the men were taunting and harrassing joining them in the fight.

Matthew had taught her that in order to survive, to protect her kingdom, she had to be ready to take a life, as much as she hated doing just that. But, Matthew had put it a good way, it was her or them, those she loved or them, her kingdom or them, It was really a means to defend herself, these men were harrassing, taunting, and in many cases beating her people. And she had to defend her people, her kingdom, even if it meant killing those harming her home.

Mark was beaten back against a wall, raising his gauntleted arms the swords bounced clean off as he screeched, Ulnaus slamming into one man while Mark kicked the other one right in the manhood, making him double over while Mark landed slammed his hidden blade into the back of his neck with a savage growl. He then moved onto the one Ulnaus had preoccupied, kicking his knee until it bent backwards, and grabbing him by the hair, slicing his throat with his sword.

He turned, and flung his arm out, a ropedart sailing past Elsa's face to nail a Templar about to strike the woman who had joined both him and Elsa's fight against the group of Templars right in the neck, causing him to fall and drown to death in his own blood as it flooded his throat while he desperately tried to breath after Mark removed the dart from the man's neck with a pull, flinging it around another's neck and pulling hard, knocking him backwards. Lifting his leg, he dropped a devastating axe-kick down on the man's head, curbstomping him into the afterlife with an almost traumatizing _Crunch!_ that echoed in the street. The last Templar turned to run from that noise alone, but fell onto his knees to puke the contents of his stomach onto the street while Mark walked up to him, a wicked, almost evil smirk on his face, barely visible from beneath his hood as he approached.

"Suck it, Assassin Scum!" The Templar suddenly turned, pulling out a glock and pointing it at Mark, who's smirk vanished completely as the shot was fired, slamming into his side and making him stumble to one side in pain. At the resounding scream from Elsa, Mark grabbed the gun, kicked the Templar's hand away from it, and then cocked it for another shot while kicking the man down to the ground and keeping him there with a foot on his chest.

"You shouldn't a done that." were Mark's only words before he pulled the trigger, the bullet finding a new home in the brain of the Templar.

After putting the safety on the the gun and pocketing it to show to Snowfeather later in accordance with a report that was due every time someone was saved or recruited from Templars, Mark put a hand to his side where he was shot, cursing under his breath as he looked for any signs of blood. "Son of a...didn't even touch me..." He muttered, looking again and again just to make sure.

As she took out the last Templar with a perfect swipe of her ice sword Elsa watched her heart hammering in her chest as the last templar pointed something, a gun it looked like, she had never really gotten used to those things that those CIA men had them too, and firing at Mark, "No!" Elsa shrieked, causing even the birds to swarm crazily, thankfully nobody else heard the scream due to all the music going on in many areas around them. She watched worried as Mark took the weapon and shot the Templar dead in the face, a third eye. Elsa didn't care. Dispelling her sword she scrambled over the dead, the blood clinging to the edge of her already a light red to the blue ice dress.

As Mark searched himself for where he'd been shot Elsa snaked a hand up and snagged her necklace back "Got it!" She said, it felt oddly warm, and not because it was in his pocket. "Wait... What the ?" She opened her hand, and a bullet smoldered on her ice coated palm. "How did ?" She looked to Mark confused. Did the necklace he made protect even him ? She inspected the necklace carefully, there was no signs of damage whatsoever to the _duradaeden_ Not even her ice magic showed signs of damage. Whatever had happened, the bullet was halted in its tracks completely

Mark smiled as Elsa took the necklace. "You pass for tonight." He said calmly before looking to the female. "Are you alright? Are you hurt?" He asked her, lowering his hood.

She didn't look at him, but she nodded her head. "I'm fine; thank you." She said. "I'm Diana, and you are..."

"Mark Wolfe of the Assassins; I'm sure you know our glorious Queen Elsa?" He asked, nodding to the Queen calmly.

Glorious ? Well that was an interesting title, Elsa however smiled and nodded to Diana. She was about to speak when voices rang out and about two dozen more soldiers, Templar by look of them, a scant few of them Arendelle Guardsmen that Elsa knew she could trust, they all waited on her word. After seeing Her and Mark running on the rooftops they assembled a squad to aid should they be needed. She counted the squad, about half were dressed as templar soldiers to fake the enemy out a bit it seemed. Oh boy.

Another shout rang out and more soldiers filtered into the small space. Another dozen or so, their commander dressed in black, wearing a weird type of cap. Elsa saw the templar cross clearly on the mans hat. On reflex Elsa summoned her ice sword. As she did so the Templar captain smirked, Finally, he could get a promotion for this. Withdrawing his own massive broadsword he swung towards Elsa, had she not taken proper lessons and experimented further then she had already she'd have been easily swept aside, but their blades caught and locked as ice exploded from Elsas feet in the small courtyard. The Templar held his sword upright at a slight angle, Elsa had her eyes on his face as he was focused on her.

But none saw that the Templar Captain was planning something as the hilt of his sword pointed directly at Elsa's chest, the hilt crossguard was hollow...


	18. Seqeunce 5 Memory 2

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 5**_

 _ **Memory 2: Elsa's Birthday Bash part 1**_

 **19 December 2051**

 **Arendelle**

 **Malo District**

 **Early evening**

It was tense to say in the least, Locked sword to sword with a man twice her weight easily, The Templar Captain, a man named Valios, had a dark smile on his face. Oh he'd get promoted for this for sure! Take down the _Queen_ herself in Malos district, perfect! Sword to sword the larger man kept his hilt pointed at her chest, but with the movement of them both Elsa's necklace hung directly in the path of the hollow crossguard. Elsa was so focused on Valios face and trying to keep her feet to notice much of anything else if at all. She had no idea what she was in for.

Mark quickly drew his sword and withdrew from his coat the glock he'd retrieved from the Templar, flipping the safety off as he held it in his left hand and held his sword in his right, ready to parry anything that came towards him while the group of Arendelle Guards formed up behind him. His eyes blazed bronze fiercely as Ulnaus landed on his shoulder and carefully put his hood up before flying off.

This was one hell of a stand-off.

The Templar captain smiled a wicked smile, shouting a fast order to his men he started to push Elsa backwards on her ice. just enough so his men could get around him, Glancing quickly to her left Elsa was tempted to summon more ice, but it was hard enough to focus and remain in one spot with the weight of the huge templar captain trying to take her down on his own. Well two could play at this game. She started to push back.

Valios hands gripped his sword hilt tightly, one of them pressing on the flat of his blade to push on Elsa with as much weight as he was able to summon, which was really just himself, the other hand shifted his grip, moving slightly, Elsa heard a soft click and felt it through her sword as well. At the very last second she broke contact with the massive sword, A shot rang out, masked by the music all around as Valios fired the hidden pistol, there were three shots, one was lost. The man swore and chased after Elsa as she danced just out of his sight to his left.

Mark heard the click, and turned towards the captain, aiming the glock and shooting the first Templar he saw right in the head before charging forward; the Arendelle guards also charging forward to join in the newly started fray. Mark slashed the hamstrings of one Templar, and spun around, slamming a round-house kick at full power into the base of the man's neck, separating his brainstem from the rest of his body and killing him instantly before turning around, a sword blow glancing off of his gauntlet as he pointed the glock into another Templar's throat, a wild smirk on his face.

"Peek-a-boo!" Mark said rather darkly, causing a frightened whimper to be heard before Mark pulled the trigger again, blowing the man's neck clean out and splattering the Templar behind him, who upchucked as well while the bullet passed into his shoulder; causing his upchuck to be mixed with a scream, making it all the more painful as it came out. Mark stabbed his heart and then took off again towards the captain; he had to stop him before he harmed Elsa.

" _Protect your home. Protect your family. Protect the Heart of the Mountain._ " Rang again in his mind; his boots glowing as his eyes blazed bronze brighter than normal, his movements becoming faster and lighter as he did so.

Valios chased after Elsa, hearing the sounds of battle behind him drowned out by the sounds of the music in the district, heck, a bomb could go off and nobody'd care in Malo District! He sliced through a barricade of ice that Elsa threw in his path, stalking forwards after her as she easily ducked through an open window, sadly Valios busted the door clean off his hinges, another shot rang out. And again he missed, shattering a lamp instead as Elsa kicked out from the side sending him sprawling to the ground before heading for the door.

Flicking around quickly she brought up her sword to block his next strike, only it proved just a bit too painful as a sharp crack was heard and her necklace hit her dead over her heart with a hard CRACK, she felt winded, reeling backwards against a pillar with a sudden pained cry, as the third and final shot recociched cleanly off her necklace her ice forming a fast shield off her hands to protect herself as Valios came on to her as she was leaning against a pillar. She ducked at the last second, Valios sword smashed into the marble.

Clutching at her chest Elsa hamstrung Valios but it wasn't enough to stop the massive man as his sword came down towards her as she toppled backwards onto all fours, her own sword dispelling, she caught the foot of another soldier, using the mans own weight against him she threw the Templar at his own captain as she scrambled backwards. Heart pounding.

The Templar that Elsa threw into Valios' way was cut clean in half as the massive man continued foward, raising his sword for another attack. That promotion was mere feet away! _Click_.

"Do it...I dare ya." Mark's voice was just barely a growl as he held the glock to Valios' head. "Even you can't take this shot. Not from this close." Mark's voice was deadly, and his own blade was already half-way through the huge man's wrists, all he'd need to do is twitch a half inch more and off come his hands.

"Mark, get down!" Diana suddenly called out, tackling the man to the ground as another shot rang out; this one from a Templar Gunner up on a rooftop nearby. Mark's blade was left in Valios' wrists, and the bullet that was intended for him smashed the ground next to Elsa's ear, bouncing in the other direction.

Valios halted his movement first when pain hit his hands and seeing the strange blade at his wrists, he dared not move. The click of the gun however he half smiled. Oh this was rich. This was very rich. "Nobody can, but dont make that think you aren't able to survive it either." Valios retorted gruffly. He was about to say more when the other woman shouted something and tackled the Assassin off his feet. Another shot rang out. Damnit, both missed! A shot like that could have even ended the queen! Elsa screamed as she turned away, Ice forming instantly as Diana screamed for Mark to get down as a bullet hit the pavement directly to her left, stone and brick exploding in a shower of rock and sparks

With a flick of his hands Valios lifted the sword to his mouth and yanked it out, blood pouring from his hands he picked his sword up again and ran for Elsa, sword raised, only to come to a sickening halt as Elsa's ice blade slammed home dead into his heart, ice spreading on his skin and within his body as he sank to his knees then toppled, Elsa's sword shattering as she dispelled it, right ontop of Elsa spread eagle, bleeding freely all over her.

Elsa grumbled something along the lines of "Dragoncrap I need a bath before the celebration tonight, now! Mark get this thing off me!" Elsa put both hands on Valios and tried to roll him off her, but he was too heavy and her feet were going to sleep already.

Mark shook his head and looked to Diana, blinking. "Thank you..." He said calmly as he stood, helping her to her feet before turning to Elsa as Ulnaus dealt with the gunner; tearing out his eyes and throat with his beak and talons while the Arendelle Guards forced the remaining Templars onto their knees to be arrested and later executed in the gallows.

With a grunt Mark pushed Valios off of Elsa, offering her a gauntleted hand. "I dunno; blood kind of looks good on you, if you don't mind my sayin' so." He said, smiling. "Gives you a... deadly type of look I don't see often enough in anyone." he said, shrugging. "But if you insist upon a bath, Ulnaus will gladly give you a lift to the Castle while I take Diana here to Roughwater, Georgina can get her cleaned up and recruited proper." He said calmly as Ulnaus landed next to them, the massive bird clicking his beak a few times, Mark snapped his fingers and squawked, pointing to the castle. Ulnaus nodded and waited for Elsa to climb aboard his back, wings spread out wide.

Elsa took Marks hand and with his help got back to her feet, briefly leaning on his as the blood spread on her dress, making it slightly darker in red but still ice bluish green to it. "I at least want to get it out of my hair thank you very much." One of her soldiers stepped forwards, In his hands was a large stack of orders. Each one had either her, or Mark, or Anna, or Snowfeather or any of the Recruits of the last seven months on them as wanted posters. Well crud.

Elsa nodded "Burn it all, dispose of the bodies here, wait until sunset, full dark in fact, to properly bury." Even though the Templars were originally Arendelle soldiers, they'd be treated as such. The soldiers nodded and got to work cleaning up the courtyard.

Elsa was about to say something when a loud screeching caught their attention, they all looked up at the rooftop, low as they were in this district to begin with there were birds, a few hawks, and a few sparrows flying around a small tower, the Templar Den was liberated with the death of Valios. But, one man got free, able to escape and report the fact that Elsa took down a very capable Templar soldier. Elsa looked at the low tower, and her face controred into a thoughtful look, "Great, firerope. Mark, can you light the signal fire ?" With Valios dead, the district was theirs!

Mar nodded and bowed calmly to Elsa. "It'll be lit before Ulnaus gets you home." He said calmly. "In that case, why don't you take Diana with you? I'm sure she'd like to meet Snowfeather or Blackmane, not Geogina." He said, making a gesture to suggest that Georgina's been drinking that day before smiling.

"Are you sure?" Diana asked.

"Yes, you'll be fine. Ulnaus can carry five of that guy; and he weighs at least a good ... 250lbs, easy." He said. Diana nodded and climbed onto Ulnaus's back, waiting for Elsa now. As this happened Mark took off into the night, vanishing from view without too much, if any noise, going across rooftops and cables and beams like they were nothing at all. Soon he reached the tower, climbed it, and, as promised, lit it before diving into the hay cart below.

Elsa nodded and climbed onto Ulnaus back, as the great Eagle took flight Elsa watched behind as a light orange smokey flare into being behind them in the darkness of the Malo District, it was a short flight later when they came to a calm good soft landing at the Castle oddly right at Elsas window to be exact. the massive balcony quite clean. Well this was unexpected. Gently hopping off Ulnaus she spoke "Here we are, Oddly at my bedroom balconey door." She had no idea why Ulnaus took them directly there, maybe it was because Blackmane was right there waiting for them ? Or was it the fact that there were guests already filtering in through the castle gates ?

"Its about time you showed up, Kai is going crazy getting things ready and Anna is looking for you." Blackmane said stepping into view of the two women, she took in Diana's rather filthy appearance "Let me guess, new recruit ?"

"Yes, Mark and I were doing a freerunning course in Malo, that signal fire not far from here," Elsa pointed in the direction where a faint fire could just barely be seen. "Mark stayed behind to light it. I need a bath before I see everyone downstairs though. This is Diana, can you help her get cleaned up for tonight ?" Elsa said, Blackmane nodded.

"Isn't Georgina the trainer for Arendelle ?" She asked however.

"Yes but Mark she she went on a drinking binge recently" Elsa replied to that Blackmane merely raised a dark eyebrow. Georgina drunk... oh dear. What had the Princess gotten herself into this time to drive her to drink ?

As Elsa and Diana got off of his back, Ulnaus took off again, heading for Mark. Within minutes Mark had returned, sliding off the Bird's back and nodding to Blackmane and everyone else. "Blackmane, so good to see you again." he said, smiling softly as he walked right through them towards his own room, where he would in turn get himself ready. He seemed rather giddy; his eyes blazed with a fire of passion and happiness. Something got him exited, but what was it?

Everyone would have to wait, he didn't say but a few words of greeting to everyone he passed by on his way to his quarters to put on his best Assassin Coat; he always travelled with at least three. This one in particular was mosly Black with deep, rich Forest Green details along the trim, and stripes swirling down the sleeves, paying homage to the great Italian Mentor of old. He closed his eyes and all of his armor digitized away; leaving him with just the coat and a standard pair of boots on along with the belt of his coat, of course, and the hood down. He tied back his hair with a ribbon Elsa gave him a while back, and trimmed his beard lightly after washing his face.

He was ready to party~!

 **A few minutes later**

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Elsa's private bathroom**

Elsa let herself into the bathroom, Marei as she had noticed, had drawn her bath, mostly through Snowfeather or someone else. Elsa figured it best not to worry about who informed Marei and just got in. Her ice shattering her dress as she sat in the tub and just soaked for a few moments, relaxing, She did not want Anna to wait for too long though. Blackmane had said Anna wanted to see her about something. Elsa smiled thinking of what it could be. _It must be the painting now in the throne room,_ Elsa thought. Anna wasn't present when the painting was first presented then subseqeuntly hung in the throne room instead of the Protrait Hall.

Marei knocked on the door "Milady, I brought your towels as requested." Marei entered, finding Elsa in the tub, blood staining her beautiful hair, "Goodness your highness, what happened ? Are you alright ?" When Marei entered Elsa had one foot out of the tub and was scrubbing it of dirt and dried Templar blood

"Yes" Elsa replied raking a brush through her hair after some shampoo had been scrubbed through her locks. "I am alright, A little sore but I will be fine."

"But, my Queen there is blood in your hair ? Are you sure you are alright ?" The headmaid said

"I am, Marei, Let Anna know I will meet up with her in the throne room. Oh and see to Diana, she's in need of a bath too" Elsa said

"Ah yes, the new lady you brought home, well, the Assassini from Roughwater has picked her up. She said she'd see you at the celebration this evening. If you hurry you can meet up with Master Wolfe as well" Marei said with a small bow before Elsa nodded for her to take her leave. As the door to the bathroom closed, Elsa relaxed with a sigh of relief. Whew, she had thought Marei was going to go balistic on seeing her condition. But no, much more reserved then her mother apparently.

Ten minutes later and Elsa stepped from the tub, her now slightly darker red dress glittering upon her body as her ice swirled about the room. She tried to make the dress more icelike, yet it just stayed that red hue. She'd need to look into this soon. Drying off with a towel her dress reformed on her body and she stepped, once more barefoot, from the bathroom into the hall.

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Throne Room**

 **A few minutes later**

Anna stood alone in the throne room of the castle, Staring at a painting that was not hanging on that wall before. But it was not just any normal painting of why it had grabbed her undevided attention, it was who was in it that had grabbed her attention. She was in it, As was Elsa, and their parents, and what was more, Elsa had her ice dress on in this painting. So how in the world was that possible ? When they were growing up they rarely if at all saw each other, and Elsa always wore dark colors too, her hands covered by gloves, and yet, in this picture, Anna could not help but see the life in her parents eyes.

Where did the painting come from ?

The doors to the throne room then opened and through them walked Mark, redoing the ribbon that held back his hair for the third time since it just never fit correctly. Currently he was muttering to himself about that very thing, and when he finally managed to make it work, he looked up, spotting Anna. "Ah! Anna!" He said, pleasantly surprised. Walking up to her he gave her a small bow in greeting and smiled. "What brings you to the throne room?" He asks, voice echoing slightly in the large, empty hall.

Anna turned briefly seeing Mark enter, a smile on her face "Oh, hello Mark," She said it was not easy getting him not to bow, because he always did it anyhow. She couldn't imagine how Elsa got through it all. It was bad enough to break Kai of the habit alone! She turned back to the painting, "This painting, where did it come from ?" She asked, her parents had died ten years or so before at sea, so how did a painting so realistic, so... lifelike, with her and Elsa as they were now, with their parents ? It truly did not make sense to the Princess one bit. Their parents, seemingly alive and well within the painting, and it looked quite new.

Mark looked to the painting, putting his hands behind his back as he admired it. "It came from one of Elsa's dreams." He said calmly. "It was a long story; I won't bore you with too many details, but, in short, she dreamed that picture up, and with some technological trickery, we managed to give it to the Royal Painter to be painted for her birthday." he explained calmly, smiling.

He then took in a deep breath and looked around the throne room. "So, how are things, Anna? Anything exciting happen lately?" he asked her calmly, looking to her with his deep brown eyes.

Well that was a lot to take in. "Elsa... dreamed this painting ?" Anna asked, it was indeed a lot to take in. She took a breath and let it out as Mark explained how they were able to get the image to the Royal Painter, who had finished it that morning and presented it to Elsa at the noon meal. "But it's so lifelike! How could Elsa have dreamned up something so beautiful, so vivid, so... real ?" Try and she might Anna couldn't figure it out. So she took Marks word for it, the painting was so expertly done that it felt as if she just posed for it. But had she ?

"Another signal fire was lit, in one of the southern districts. Malo I think it was ?" Anna never really was up to date with the terms and liberated Districts, it was hard enough keeping her sister on proper duty as Queen as well as an Assassin. it wasn't easy, but it was working out alright for the most part, though recently Elsa had been returning dirtier and bloodier. "About twenty minutes ago actually." She gave Mark a sidelong glance "That was you wasn't it ?"

Mark looked around absent mindedly; cautiously approaching the thrones and inspecting Blackmane's hidden blade where it hung. Upon hearing Anna talking of Malo District, he turned, hands still behind his back before he held up his hands as if surrendering to someone at gun or swordpoint. "Caught me red handed, Anna." He said with a laugh. He felt... oddly comfortable standing next to the thrones, but he shook his head softly and stepped down; it wasn't his place to be up there.

"But yes, that was me. Another district liberated of the oppression of the Templars, right in the middle of a festival, too!" he said. "Provided the perfect cover for me to climb the tower without interruption." he added.

"Was Elsa with you ? I couldn't find her at all today" Oh boy, that was the ultimate question. Thankfully Elsa was already headed for the Throne Room as it was, so Mark and Anna still had a few moments more together briefly before Elsa was to arrive. "Georgina said something of a new recruit or some such she was waiting to have arrive. I take it when you liberated the district you also found the recruit too ?" More like outright nearly ran the templars in question down.

But that left a new question, how to tell Anna he was teaching Elsa how to properly free-run

"Yes she was with me. Taught her to free run; well...more like forced her with a very dangerous game of tag." Mark said, shrugging. "How I did it well..." his fingers wandered to the necklace around his neck. "I took her half of her newest birthday present back." he only chuckled. "She caught me, of course; always was quicker and lighter on her feet."

He then shruged and stretched out his arms. He'd need to present the glock to Blackmane and Snowfeather both later; ask them what they're to do next now that the Templars are employing guns into their tactics. For now, however, he wanted to relax with some fun, but until that time came, he once again found himself admiring the painting of Elsa and her family; well...mostly admiring Elsa, but expertly covering it up by making his eyes dart all along the painting while he stood rather quietly.

Anna raised an eyebrow "Well,... I guess that is alright, I mean, Matthew started teaching her how to do that, but not as much as one of your more ... better trained recruits" Anna replied giving her sisters teacher a confused look she looked closer at the necklace, "Wait, what ? Her half ? You mean she has one like this ?" She had no idea whatsoever what Mark and Kristoff had been up to the last several months, and it was not for another year when she found out what Kristoff was up to.

She started to put the pieces together, well, piece actually, but it made sense, Elsa always went after something taken from her, and many times it didn't turn out well, hence why Marei was so dirt crazy "Elsa has one and you... took it and it was a birthday gift, Oh she'd want it back for sure!" Though she had gotten it back So Anna said then "I figured she was with you when some of the soldeirs took off for that district, mostly because they saw the two of you running on the rooftops, her chasing you. Tell me she's not hurt" Anna said sternly giving Mark a look.

Mark only chuckled as Anna pieced it all together, but as she gave him a look he visibly flinched and held up his hands again. "Whoa, easy there. She's fine. Last I saw she was only covered in the blood of a massive Templar Captain without a scratch on her own body, except maybe the wear and tear on her body that comes with free running like she did when she's not used to it." He said quickly, trying to calm Anna down before she knocked him clear across the room.

Anna raised an eyebrow and stepped back from Mark after examining his half of the necklace, for a long moment she said nothing finally nodded "Alright, I'll take your word on that, but if she has more then what you say, you answer to me, got it ?" It was at that moment when Elsa entered

"Who answers to who ?" She asked out of the blue, for a brief moment she did not recognise Mark right away. "Anna, you wanted to see me Marei said I'd find you here. oh... Mark is that you ?" It was hard to recognise him with out his hood, or even armor for that matter.

Mark nodded to Anna. "Oh yes, perfectly clear, Anna." He said calmly. He then turned and nodded as Elsa entered the room and inquired as to his identity. "Yes, it is me." He said. "I figured I'd wear something nice for you." He said calmly, a playful tinge entering his voice as he smiled. He checked the time on the grandfather clock at one end of the room and bowed softly to the two. "Forgive me; I must leave; Ulnaus doesn't like to feed himself, after all." He said, bowing once more before turning on his heel and leaving the two sisters alone for a little while.

"He is welcome to the guy that landed on me" Elsa called after Mark, she was sure she heard a snicker from him too as he headed off, oh my this was good. She turned back to Anna, who simply hugged her, "Anna ? Is something wrong ?"

"No, well, maybe" Anna replied, she nodded towards the paintiing, "Mark said you dreamed that, its so lifelike, like it happened."

"Its a long story, but yes, I did dream it, somehow. Mark and I were able to get it. I asked the Painter a month ago to begin work on it, but, I dont think he was able to do so much in so short a time. This must have taken him months to work on"

"Either way, Elsa, its beautiful, somehow you dreamed Momma and Papa perfectly! And us too as adults! You in your ice dress, and me as, well, me!" It was clear that Anna was very happy of the new painting, it was, in a word, beautiful, for long moments the two sisters hugged in the throne room, and briefly as Elsa gazed on the painting she wondered, what if her parents could see them now.

 **Arendelle**

 **Roughwater District**

 **Georgina's Manor/Assassin Den**

"About time you showed up, I got her notice, been watching for you since" Georgina said unlocking the door and stepping into the manor, the den was set up like any major manor home in the kingdom. "What kept you ?" She held the door open for Diana to enter before letting it close. "Do the others suspect anything ?" A rapidfire list of questions, yet nothing 'Diana' couldn't handle

She merely shook her head in response to the questions. "The only thing that kept me was Mark thinking you were drunk." Diana took a whiff and smiled. "A fine wine, but not enough to get you drunk." she said, looking Georgina up and down and doing the calculation in her head while also looking at the half-drunken bottle on the table not too far away.

"No one suspects anything, of course; none of them have seen me in years. For all any but Mark and Snow know, I'm dead." She said solemnly, but with an air of confidence as well.

"Good," Georgina replied with a nod, yes actually she had been drinking. It was hard not to. It was the first year without Set for the birthday celebration week for Elsa that evening. And Georgina wasn't taking it very well if at all. "Yes, I was drinking. I lost him nearly a year ago now. Maybe just over, either way, this is the first Celebration without him." Set was only a infant when Georgina had first met the Wolfe clan to begin with nearly a decade or so ago, and she remembered that Marion took a instant liking to the baby boy.

It was then a rather putrid scent raided her senses, "Good lord! Diana, What the fuck did you swim in ? Nevermind, The bathroom is first door up the stairs on your right, get yourself cleaned up you'll find a fresh coat on the shelf inside, we have a party to attend, Elsa made it clear that we're to be present. Her guards are stretched quite thin lately and most of the recruits and Novices are chasing Weselton messengers." Georgina waved off Marion, goodness she reeked!

She only smiled when told that she reeked. "Templars will do that to you in dark alley ways y'know." she said calmly, an amused giggle escaping her throat as she went up the stairs to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. From there she took off her ragged, dirty clothes, letting them fall to the ground before stepping into the tub and turning on the shower faucet, letting the warm water cascade down her body and clean the dirt off of her light, and fair skin and out of her her light brown hair, while the soap ensured that she smelled like a proper human being instead of like trash and dirt.

Once done with that she turned off the water, and sighed softly as she stood alone in the bath. She didn't want to trick everyone like this. Marion Wolfe, sister of Mark Wolfe; one of the last surviving of the once great and powerful Wolfe clan. She had to hide, using the fake name, Diana in order to stay safe, and to keep her own brother's heart from breaking.

After drying herself off she wrapped the towel around her body while she searched for a fresh coat; after finding one in her size, she put it on, along with a shirt, pants, and necessary undergarments as well. Once that was all taken care of she looked at herself in the mirror; she put the hood up and smiled, she felt...safe, under the shadows of that hood. And she looked like she had worn it her whole life; perfectly natural fit. Smiling she lowered the hood and walked downstairs to rejoin Georgina.

Georgina had gotten herself ready, mostly cleaned up, a clean coat with a light wine colored hood, The Arendelle crest adorning the back of it with the open petals of the Crocus flower on her shoulderblades, the hood was down. She stood in front of a mirror, a silver comb in hand as she raked it through her hair carefully. Even with Set peacefully at rest in the other room, his ashes kept in a white urn on her mantlepiece. She tried to focus on the present, Set gave his life to protect their home, only to lose it, and Elsa to return it. It was a hard memory to bear, but as she left the room she cast a glance at the mantle briefly, resting her eyes on the urn before closing and locking the door behind her

It was a long walk back to the castle, so they had to be ready for anything. As she stepped from her private chambers she saw Ma..No Diana stepping down the stairs, "Are you ready ?" Georgina rarely had her hood up unless she was liberating districts, in which case the hood easily went up and shit went down. But lately, she was mostly dealing out contracts.

Marion...Diana nodded at the question, smiling and keeping her hood up. "I think it's best I keep my hood up, but yes, I am ready." she said calmly, opening the door to the manor and holding it open for Georgina. "You're not going to drink too much more, are you?" She asked softly. Keeping her hood up would be the best way to ensure the safety of her identity, even if her real name got out; which she highly doubted would happen. If no one could see her face, none would be able to put it to the name, and she couldn't become a target for the Templars again.

"I agree, hood up, eyes on the crowd, Elsa will be safe, as will your brother. As far as I am aware, only I, your mother, and Tiri know you are here, take this" She held out a hidden blade "You're going to need this at some point, And when you use it, dont let the enemy see you until your blade is in his neck." Georgina said, she smiled at the qwuestion of drinking, Casting a brief glance towards her door that lead to her private chanmbers she smiled "No, I think I have drunk enough for one day. Come on, We've a party to attend!"

 **At that same moment**

 **Arendelle Port District**

"Back here again" grumbled a balding short man, his chest like walways adorned with medals "remind me again why we came back here ?" the Duke of Weselton hated this place, ever since they cut off trade and him trying to kill Elsa through his bodyguards, trade got cut off, and his country hated him for it. But now, this might be their chance to renew trade, and hopefully work things out, and maybe go home with Elsa's head. Maybe. Then again that might not work given how much of the kingdom the Templars had lost in their private war with the Assassins there

A young man walked close behind the medal-adorned old man, his expression stern and unforgiving, his military uniform and stature unmatched and sharp, and his eyes holding little color to them; mostly blackness. "I believe, Duke, you came here because of trade, if I'm not mistaken." He said calmly, looking down at the old man without turning his head. "My own Masters have sent me here merely to observe, but if a deal can be made, they will permit one." He added calmly. His uniform was black with red details along the trim. He wore no metals, but had the rank of General sewn upon his sleeves in a rich Blood Red.

He merely smiled and continued to walk towards the palace.

"Now how did you know that ?! Dont answer that!" Well it _was_ true, they were there to try and reestablish trade mostly because his own leaders said to do it or else. So... Giving the dark suited man a hard look the Duke pointed a finger at him and in a agravated tone he said "You Easterners are strange folk! I dont know why IU even allowed my ship to carry you and your... retinue here to begin with. What are you even here for other then seeing things ?" the Duke didn't know it, but this Easterner was in fact one of Arendelle's worst enemies from the ancient past.

But yes, the Duke was there to reestablish trade, and while the large group walked along, the soldiers of Arendelle were seen in groups of six, and in some cases ten or even twelve patrolling the many streets of the kingdom carefully. In the Port, the Duke noticed that the place was much much cleaner and much more lively then the last time he was there, which even with the cursed winter in the middle of summer it was actually livelier then that!

As the group walked along the streets towards the Castle Courtyard to begin the celebration for the week, they were joined by all sorts of people going to have fun as well at the castle and across the kingdom. Among those many people were two women easily blended perfectly in with the crowed as they passed the Duke, and also his fellows. they were never noticed as they ducked into an alley, the main street went a ways further before turning at the bridge. Swiftly the pair took to the rooftops and were at the Castle Gates for their first assignment.

 **A few minutes later**

 **Arendelle Castle Icerink Courtyard**

 **Courtyard Gates**

Mark turned his head as he turned to look at the pair of women behind him whilst feeding a beautiful array of birds. "You two are late..." He said calmly. He snapped his fingers and the birds all flew off inconspicuously. "Your assignment is to make sure everyone entering has their invitation; if they do not...Improvise." He smiled calmly. "I will not have Elsa's safety be jeopardized by some rich fools and their personal agendas; watch everything at once with all of your senses; let everything in and absorb it all." He said, eyes flashing bronze as he said it with a smirk. "Now then; if you require my aide, send Ulnaus over; he'll be sitting on a nearby perch all evening."

With that he gave a bow and turned, entering the Castle to make sure Elsa was ready.

"Blame my drinking" Was all Georgina said, that morning was a hard one. then again most mornings were. "We also had to get our new recruit cleaned up as well." Good Ulnaus could handle pretty much anybody in a fight. With a nod she took up a post at the gate, each person was checked for their invitation, Oh this was going to be good! Their worst enemies walking right through their gates, with an invite of course. Elsa had it done at Snowfeathers insisting. 'Invite our worst enemies, treat them to a proper and good celebration for a week, and let me handle it sahould something go wrong,' Snowfeather had said.

So far so good. The Dukes party came to the gate, his aid handing over eight invitations to Diana as Georgina barred their path briefly until each name was read and the man or woman spotted and allowed in, until they came to the man in black and red, who had his own invitation. After briefly halting the man to see the invitation, Georgina let him pass into the courtyard.

 **Arendel Castle Throneroom**

 **A moment or so later**

Elsa stood alone in the throne room, Anna still had to get ready for the celebration, but that night in the Grand Ballroom was the main event as Snowfeather called it. Elsa started pacing, lost in thought. _Icicles, I hope Snowfeather knows what she is doing, its starting to worry me greatly. I trust her as I trust Mark, but this is confusing, why invite... him ? His men tried to kill me!_ Apparently it wasn't easy to let certain things go. But she tried to keep herself calm. But it wasn't working.

The door to the throne room opened, and Mark entered, closing the doors behind him. " _Protect her. Protect the Heart of the Mountain._ " he shook his head; that voice blaring in his mind yet again before he smiled and turned to face Elsa. "I expected to find you here, Elsa." He said calmly, deep, soothing voice resonating in the room pleasantly.

He approached her and smiled as he stopped, sunlight from the sun pouring in through a window and onto him. "I have one more surprise to show you before the party begins." He said, slowly raising his hood. "You remember my gauntlet?" He asked calmly.

When Mark spoke Elsa stopped her pacing, her bright eyes frought with worry over fear. And also confusion. "Yes, Anna is getting ready, she said she'd meet us at the balconey when I start things off in a few minutes." Elsa sighed, she wasn't sure if she wanted to even go out in public. For one thing she was more worried of her dress and appearance, sure she could go and put on her coronation gown, but no, she wanted more freedom of movement, besides, her ice dress was lighter too.

At his question she nodded, "Yes, I remember it. You rarely take it off, and yet... when you do, it seems to simply... fade away, like my ice when I dispell it." She said, ahh, yes, now she was calmer like she had hoped to be. Mark's presense is what helped that no doubt. All her nervousness had all but completely faded. But when Mark put up his hood warning bells went off briefly. She gave him a confused look then, almost worried that trouble was soon to come.

Mark smiled from beneath his hood. "Relax, nothing bad will happen, I assure you." He said calmly as he lowered his hands from his hood now that it was fully up. "Anyway; my gauntlet, I've discovered, is an heirloom of the Wolfe Clan; only the head of the house can wear it. However... I decided that it wasn't enough. Any clan that was as powerful as the Wolfe's aught to have a full set of armor." He said, smirking as his eyes began to blaze a beautiful shade of bronze from beneath his hood.

"So I went ahead and made the rest of it."

Soon his whole body was covered in a magnificent Deep Bronze; which digitized from his hands and feet up; forming two gauntlet's identical to each other, two brand new pairs of boots and grieves. Soon the belt was replaced as well, the pauldrons, chest, and back pieces all digitizing bit by bit into view in a gorgeous flurry of bronze flakes. The _Duradaeden_ shone bright like painted glass, and seemed to be lined with Mark's own magical power, running up and down the metal very much how the gold lines ran across the area Mark had met Elena in, only they were Bronze instead of Gold, and were stationary. Upon his back a beautifully crafted sword handle came into view; the cross-guard having the Wolfe family crest upon it, and the end of the hilt having the Arendelle Assassin crest upon it.

The Wolfe crest was as follows: An Anvil, with a crossed Hammer and Tongs much like how pirate ships had A skull and cross-bones. Behind the Anvil and crossed tooles was a large, ornate W, standing for Wolfe. The blade, also made from _Duradaeden_ , was held within a beautifully crafted sheath of the same crystal-like metal, with intricate carvings and writings on it to add to the beauty. The Blade was also lighter, sharper, and stronger than any other blade currently known to man.

And all of it, had been made by one man: Mark Wolfe.

He gave a slow spin to allow Elsa to examine him fully in his armor, which made no sound as the joints ran along eachother, or as the boots hit the ground, Mark had made certain that the finest materials went into the boots, while somehow managing to weave the iDuradaeden/i around the feet, ankles, and lower legs. When it was all done, Mark took a small bow, and stood before Elsa in the sunlight in his new suit of fully functional armor.

"What do you think, Elsa?" He asked, smiling beneath his hood.

Her eyes went wide as she watched the armor, glasslike and beautiful, literally grow on Marks body, it was armor, there was no missing it. No missing it at all. And each and every line was perfect, as if it was like the painting that Elsa received that morning before lunch! She stepped around Mark carefully as she span in a slow circle, taking it all in. Every line, every crack, everything. "You... made this..." She said softly, of course he had to have made it, no blacksmith in the Kingdom could! She was sure of it!

"It is beautiful" She said at long last, after taking in his beautiful sword of the same glasslike glitery material. "How ? How did you make this ?" Then she remembered something seeing the crest similar to the flag Matthew had unfurled when he liberated the Port district on his first day back in the Kingdom. "Wait, you mentioned after lunch you wanted to ask me something, was this it ? Was this what you wanted me... to see ?" Or was it something else ? She was in awe at the beauty and slience of the armor, she kept herself from reaching out to touch it. No that wasn't a good plan. The gauntlet was enough.

He nodded to her question of he made it. "I did." he answered softly; his voice, though deep and powerful, barely above a whisper. "I did it with a little help from... well... your ancesters. Our, ancesters, actually." He said. "Y'see... I wanted to ask you about your family's private library; see if I could use it..." he asked. He then went on to explain that the Wolfe Clan had been the protectors of the Royal family for almost as long as the Kingdom of Arendelle had stood, and that Whitehall District used to be the Wolfe District; and that the den used to be their manor; where they forged magnificent things with special, magical forges that could make use of any metal, no matter how difficult.

"It was in those forges I slaved away for seven months, making this set of armor... and our necklaces, from the same material." he said. "I won't bore you with the details of how... but just know that those seven months were the busiest of my life." he said softly.

"Aside from the question of using your family's private library... I have one more request. I would like the Whitehall... no... Wolfe manor restored fully to its former glory." He bowed his head humbly as he made the request. White hall was still quite the mess; and having his family's Manor look like it did after Templar occupation for so long made his blood boil to no end; which wasn't healthy for anyone. Especially Templars.

The clock chimed with the hour and Mark turned. "It is time to welcome your guests... My Queen." he said with a knowing, playful smile as he bowed to her and gestured towrads the direction of the balcony. "I'll be right behind you if anything happens." He added.

Her parents private library, not even Elsa knew where the key to that was! And with her parents gone she supposed she was the only one who could even get in there to begin with. She knew her father had secrets, but it was her mother who had more. Her mother, Idun, had been trained most of her life as an Assassin and kept a very secret library hidden away somewhere in the castle. Elsa nodded "yes, you may have access to it. But there's one problem. I dont know where the key is, Or if there even is one. I never could find it, nor if there was a trigger to find the path either. We may have to ask Kai what he knows though." She said

It was his request however that knocked off her balance so to speak "Wolfe Manor ?" What on earth was he talking about ? When he explained how his family had protected hers for aeons she started putting pieces together, not knowing what it all meant, but he wanted it brought back to what it had been in the past, She nodded "Yes, Consider it done first thing after the end of the weeks festivities you can take all the men you need to rebuild and clean up the Manor" She said, she was queen, and Mark was her friend, her... bodyguard so to speak. Therefore, his request was more of a need for the kingdom as a whole really. And Elsa basically gave him the green light.

The clocktower went off. Now or never, she took a deep breath. Now was the zero hour as Blackmane had called it, if the Templars were going to try anything, it'd be during that week at some point. Elsa put on a smile, it was time to put on a show, so to speak, she turned to Mark, "I'd prefer it if you were at my side instead of behind, I want the kingdom to see that their Protectors have returned." She said softly, A smile playing upon her lips as she said almost as an order "Gauntlet only... I dont want to tip off the Enemy that we have what they dont just yet."

Mark smiled and bowed. "Thank you, Elsa. Thank you so much." he said at the granting of each of his requests. "I wouldn't worry about the library; my own family has quite the extensive library to keep me busy until you find a key." He said. At her request of only his gauntlet, he smiled and nodded. "As you wish." With that the rest of the armor and sword vanished in very much the same way it materized: Digitizing away like it were made of flakes of Bronze light.

"Now then. Let us go." He said, nodding as his eyes glowed bronze; Eagle Vision working already. "If there are any enemies, I'll spot them, my Eagle Vision will mark them and I'll be able to let Snowfeather and Blackmane know who they are so that the rest of the order knows as well to stay on guard." He said. Currently the entire Assassin Order of Arendelle that wasn't on contract was somewhere within the castle or surrounding districts. Within minutes any enemy or attempt on anyone's life would be halted, surrounded, and taken care of. Most of the recruits were told to stand as guards in plain sight; the menacing hoods enough to keep most enemies from trying anything. Those who have been members of the order for at least three months or longer were in the crowd, intermingling with everyone and gathering intel constantly. Ulnaus also sat on a nearby perch at all times; the massive bird looming ominously particularly over the Duke and his party.

Other than that, most security was normal; and everything was proceeding as planned.

Elsa nodded "That's the thing, I dont know if there is even a key, can it at least wait until the week is over ?" She meant the search for her mothers private library, Elsa had found one of her mothers journals again that morning, or rather, Kai had when he brought a new stack of books into the library that morning after breakfast. Once told of where it was found Elsa had gone briefly to that location, the turret where she and Anna had watched Matthew liberate the Port district a year before, After searching the Turret carefully Elsa had returned to the dining room for lunch, and ended up having a wonderful birthday gift presented two days early. "I promise you I will let you into my mothers private library, She never left her study when I'd find it empty growing up." She said

She stepped up next to Mark, to his left. "Are you ready ?" She asked, Though she was meaning something else entirely "Could you escort me to the balconey Master Wolfe ?" She said, a smile once more upon her lips. Her eyes bright; no longer did she worry or fear, no, she was ready now. Anna was going to meet up with them during the ball that night, the main party was in the icerink courtyard in mere moments to an hour when Snowfeather was to challenge those of the visiting groups, including the Dukes men. Snowfeather and Blackmane had set it all up. They truly wanted to test the Templars and see their skill without weapons. though knowing the Duke, some of his men would indeed play quite dirty

But Snowfeather was expecting that.

Mark nodded. "Yes, I'm ready; and I'll gladly escort you, my Queen." he said, offering her his arm. Once hooked he smiled and turned his head forward, walking her to the balcony, opening the door for her and unhooking his arm from hers as he went atop the balcony first, the fanfare causing all of the guests to look up to the balcony.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for attending this weeks festivities, from all of us here in Arendelle. Now then, your Hostess for the week, Queen Elsa of Arendelle!" He gestured to the beautiful woman just behind him, giving her the cue to make her appearance, and give her speech to start off the weeks festivities.

Elsa could not help but smile as Mark escorted her to the balconey, everyone was out there, crammed into the icerink courtyard for the start of the weeklong celebration. She didn't see any of the Templars, until she spotted the Duke and his retinue. But she did not see Prince Hans anywhere, so she supposed that in itself was a good thing if that. She was thankful when he spoke, thanking everyone for joining them for the celebration that week. Then he introduced her, and the applause was thunderous, though she could see clearly that the Duke was not happy in the least bit. But that did not matter, she was there to welcome everyone to the party!

She stepped forwards raising her arms, letting the crowd cheer, a few even wishing her a happy birthday two days early. Oh joy, that was going to be a real fun day for sure! Elsa smiled again as Mark stood by her side as she lowered her arms. "Thank you, citizens of Arendelle, children and parents alike, welcome. From the bottom of my heart, Welcome one and all to the Winter Celebration!" The crowd assembled cheered again as Elsa motioned for quiet. "Tonight marks the start of this weeks festivities. On your inivitation there is a list of times and locations for the various events we have planned this year. One of those events begins after dinner tonight. Everyone is welcome to observe or even take part. Just speak with one of the Hooded men or women near the training ring In the center of the ice rink courtyard for further information" A few more informative bits were also spoken. Almost all of them related to civilty.

Finally came the finale of her short yet to the point speech. Elsa did not want to keep them waiting. She raised her arms, as she did so snow began to fall lightly as she said aloud "Let the festival begin!" Explosions of snow and ice in the air went off like fireworks in summer as the seasonal horn sounded, the assembled crowd cheered as the music began in a upbeat tune as Elsa stepped back into the shadows of the balconey next to Mark and her sister.

"They loved it, I hope I did not overdo it." Try as she might she never was good at speeches to begin with, her father always did them

"They always do. You never go long winded like Papa did, even then, its worth it." Anna said

"Papa was always the one giving the speeches, never Mother" Elsa said, turning to Anna as they went back inside she said softly while reaching for Mark's hand "Can you make sure everything goes well, if anything goes wrong, speak to Snowfeather or Blackmane, either one, I remember seeing Blackmane at the door downstairs and Snowfeather in the courtyard, Mark and I have something important we need to do." She gave her sister a look, one that said 'no not that kind important' Besides, she herself said not to marry a guy she just met. And she didn't really know Mark that well. "It concerns Mother's library"

"If anyone asks, you're busy, got it. Have fun." Anna said with a soft smile to her sister and pointed look towards Mark

"Thanks!" A quick hug to Anna and Elsa grabbed Mark by the arm and all but dragged him upstairs to her parents bedroom, after looking both directions down the hall she opened the door and let Mark inside first before going in behind him, closing the door and sealing it with a snowflake lock.

 **A few minutes later**

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Queen Idun's bedroom**

Elsa moved to the second door next to the bed and away from the bathroom, "Mother had a library here, I hid the Piece inside." She said, the Piece of Eden that belonged to her mother, found by her sister in the Temple at Blackrock. Moving up to the door she waved her hand over it, briefly a snowflake sparkled into exsistence and then shattered, its task done for the moment as the snowflake lock was shattered. She opened the door a second later and went inside. Shelves lined three walls, with a fireplace on the left wall of white marble. and there was a desk, the Piece of Eden in on a small stand of her ice.

"Only Pabbie and I knew it was here, Nobody else knew, not even Anna. he said it was for her safety" Elsa explained, the Piece of Eden sat harmless, dormant, on its stand.

Mark was still somewhat reeling from the look that Anna shot him; trying to figure out what it meant before the Piece of Eden caught his eye. He stepped forward slowly. He'd never seen one up close it looked...very familiar. Slowly he looked to his left arm; the gauntlet, actually, then back to the Piece. They looked remarkably similar in terms of color and texture.

With more questions he reached forward with the gauntleted hand, grabbing the Piece of Eden and lifting it, moving his palm upwards to look at it. Then something else caught his eye: Glowing- No, pulsing light running up and down the gauntlet like veins, and then the Piece of Eden, glowing brightly, almost as if it were communicating with Mark's gauntlet.

Mark turned to look at Elsa, gesturing to the glow and the lines running up and down his arm. "You're seeing this too, right?" He asked her.

Elsa of course had busied herself lighting up the fire in the fireplace to get some more light into the library, there were no windows in that private room. Which confused her, there was a room she knew in her heart that had a window facing south towards the kingdom, overlooking the city and all the districts. Finally getting the fire lit she turned and stared. "What ar..." _e you doing_ ? died on her lips as she went quiet, watching the strange glow start on the Gauntlet then pass to the metal orb. Was it supposed to do that ? When Anna held it she said it showed her maps and other stuff.

She stepped up to Mark, gently reaching upwards she took hold of the POE in her left hand, the glow briefly intisitified before fading. Briefly, very briefly the room was awash in brilliant golden light before fading, leaving only the firelight. Elsa blinked to get rid of the afterimage of the sudden brightness as she felt the Piece start to vibrate in her hand "What just happened ?"

As she held the Piece pale lines of blue formed under her hand to the floor, soon quickly spreading around the room and over their heads. A blue grid ? But why ? She watched confused as Arendelle itself faded into view on the desk and all across the room, filling it with a lifelike almost true scale model of the kingdom.

Mark looked around as the grid appeared, and as Arendelle faded into view as it was doing, he blinked a few times. "Is... This is... This is Arendelle..." he said. He looked around the map, eyes scanning for something. "But... what am I supposed to be seeing?" something blinked and his eyes followed. Whitehall? He walked over to the blinking light; he could see sWhitehall/s Wolfe Manor, and the light was right next to it.

He knelt down and reached for it, trying to gauge how much distance the light was from the Manor. As his finger touched the highlighted part of the Manor, the map zoomed in on that area, walls, floors and roofs shifted and refocused, showing the rooftops and the streets, a marker of a sort flickered into view on a rooftop it looked to be.

"Is that... " Elsa started to ask seeing the manor and part of it... blinking ?

Mark blinked and stood up quickly as the map zoomed in; startled by the sudden movments of the map before kneeling down again. "Wolfe Manor... yea... But..." he looked at the blinking light. "Despite my time in the District, I've not seen this building; er... at least... never thought anything of it." He said calmly. He then stood and turned to face Elsa.

Before Elsa could reply the map refocused and moved the zoomed in section up to waist level rather then so close to the floor as a voice spoke up. "Elsa..." Elsa's eyes went wide as she whipped around, a golden lined image of her mother stood in the room with them both.


	19. Seqeunce 5 Memory 3

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 5**_

 _ **Memory 3: Elsa's Birthday Bash part 2**_

 **19 December 2051**

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Idun's Bedroom library**

 **Just after full dark**

"Jesus Christ!" Mark stumbled back, slamming into the ground ass-first like some sort of dyslexic, startled cat, slamming his back and head into one of the book-cases, making a book fall and slam into his nose, which in turn made him fall over in pain, cursing under his breath like a seasoned sailor as he griped his nose, eyes squinted shut as he held back the urge to scream in pain.

Slowly he opened his eyes. Yep... the vision of Elsa's Mother was still there. "Elsa... you're seeing this too, right? Not just me?" His voice was pained, and, without a doubt, spooked.

Elsa turned to Mark, a confused look on her face when he shouted "Who ?" She tried not to laugh as Mark slammed into the shelf and a book beaned him dead in the face, She nodded "Yes I see it... her." She turned back to the image, it seemed to be paused in place, waiting for something ? "My only question is, why ?"

It was the question that got her 'mothers' attention. "I hid this Piece of Eden at Blackrock Temple, activation of this recording means I am either dead or... no longer with you" Idun said softly, the map of Arendelle refocused on the entire kingdom. Zooming out to show some small areas under Arendelle's control, one of them Blackrock Temple.

Mark merely grumbled to himself, slowly getting up while grabbing the book that nearly broke his nose and setting it on the table as he walked towards Elsa. ' _The last time something like this happened I couldn't move and my Eagle Vision was forced to activate and grow at least ten times more powerful...why would this be different?_ ' he was confused; probably more confused than Elsa, who had never seen anything like this before.

He looked to Blackrock Temple and raised a brow, examining it. He remembered something about it in one of his many incursions into the Castle's main library, but whatever it was escaped him at the moment. He looked at the Piece of Eden and the fingers of his right hand twitched. If he touched it... would it force another vision? It looked to be made of Duradaeden. And the last time he touched it with his bare hands he was forced into meeting Elena.

Not that he wasn't thankful for that experience; he just wasn't eager to repeat it. Though curiosity did nag at him.

Idun's hologram continued speaking "At her advising I hid them across the kingdom, to keep them from being found I encoded them in such means that only one from my flesh and blood can unlock their secrets." Very briefly the building that Mark had touched in the holographic model flashed again, the map zooming in, the rapidly flickering building hovered in the air over the desk. "Those who wish to do us harm must never find them. The secrets contained within only one of the Royal Bloodline can unlock." The map faded briefly and what looked like a video screen of a sort flickered into view.

The screen showed the Wolfe Manor, back when Idun was growing up, And over the course of the brief few moments the Manor was soon seen to be the heart of a viscious battle, briefly shifting vision showing a young boy with a young woman fleeing by ship to the South. Another woman was briefly seen helping two others away while a man was spotted ducking into a underground entry. Smoke filled the vision on the screen before it broke apart and faded. "Their line was taken, with my help they managed to survive. With his help..." Arendelle faded back into view, what had once been a bright and vibrant kingdom was soon overrun in darkness, stores were seen shut down and boarded up, the poor increasing. Soon all that was left was the Marketplace District and the Castle itself. "With his help, Arendelle can be set free of His influence"

The map disappeared and only Idun was left, the golden lines from under her feet lit the room slightly as she looked directly at Elsa; though it was a light made image, Elsa reached out to her mother as Idun spoke. "Elsa, if you are seeing this now and I am not here to tell you this. I love you..." Idun flickered and faded away. Almost instantly as Elsa reached for her mother, Briefly something flickered by the fireplace just off her vision.

Mark turned away as the battle for Wolfe Manor was shown. Those were painful memories. Memories he did not wish to acknowledge yet. He looked to the book and opened the cover.

 _ **Arendelle's Guardians.**_

 _A History of The Arendelle Assassini_

 _By Flowerfist the Fair and Second Wolfe_

 _With additional notes and revisions by_

 _Princess Elena, Queen Marissia and Charity Wolfe_

He turned the next page, read the first few sentences, and then closed it. He found what he was looking for. He'd read it later. But for now; there was more to do. As the projection of Idun left, Mark turned, tucking the book into one of the pockets on the inside of his coat for later. He then looked around, and yet again something caught his eye by the fireplace.

He blinked a few times. Something was there. Focusing, his Eagle Vision took hold, his eyes blazing bronze as it happened. "Elsa... use the sight Matthew taught to you." He said calmly, looking around the room with his eyes; everything was... different. Especially the two glowing switches on either side of the fireplace.

Elsa didn't notice right away as Mark spoke, her hand were her mother once stood, well a hologram of her mother. _She must have recorded that, somehow, in this room ? But what did she mean by His influence ?_ Very briefly as she blinked still holding the Piece in her left hand she turned towards mark, her eyes briefly Silver over their normal Sapphire blue hue. "Tell me you know what my mother meant by what she said ? Does she mean the Templars, not finding them, what does she want me to find ?" So many questions but...

"Wait... what ?" She set the Piece back on its stand and stepped over to the fireplace. Barely touching the lever on the left side, the fireplace lowered, but that was it, just a blank emopty room, but where did the smoke go ? Was there even smoke to begin with ? She had no idea there were two levers. One lowered the fireplace itself, the other opened the wall behind it

Mark raised his eyebrows, walking to the other lever and pulling it; the wall behind the fireplace opening, a rush of cold, stale air rushing past the two of them, flaring out the tails of his coat briefly and making his hair rustle ever so slightly as he cleared his throat, eyes blazing bronze still. Slowly the wall opened and Mark stepped through the opening, offering his hand and arm to Elsa calmly without looking to her as lines running along the walls, ceiling, and floor all glowed a dim blue; providing just enough light to see clearly.

 _I ... suppose you can add this to the list of 'weird shit you never thought was possible in Arendelle List'_ he thought calmly as he walked, a staircase coming into view now as he tentatively placed a foot on it, making sure it was stable enough to hold him and Elsa both. He then smiled to Elsa and nodded, continuing down.

As the wall opened behind the fireplace Elsa stared, was this what her mother meant by not finding them ? She knew of nothing of this in her mothers journal she so far had. Stepping into the dimly lit hall of sorts with her arm entwined with Marks as they stepped along the slight curve in the hall before reaching stairs the door and fireplace lifted back up and locked into place. Letting out a breath she let Mark test the weight to make sure the stairs worked, the glasslike grey blocks flickered with pale blue and gold energy lines along the floor and the walls in pale gold.

"What is this place ?" Elsa said aloud as they finally reached the bottom, it must have been well more then several hundred steps to get to that point alone. There was a door blocking their path, a tall door by the look of it. and it looked like steel of some form. Elsa stepped up to the door and felt along its ridges, pale gold light flickered where she touched. Machinery of strange make activated as the hall behind and around them seemed to wake up. Lights from nowhere flickered on. Showing a few pedestals and placemarkers... Well, this was interesting

Mark examined the wall, his eyes flashing brighter as he took a good look at it. "It... looks like it needs a key of some sort... but I dunno what that could be... Maybe the map was telling us where it was?" He asked, looking to Elsa calmly for a reaction from her before looking back to the wall. "I... can feel something on the other side of this wall. But..." He reached out to touch the wall, but held himself back, hand inches away from the surface, but shaking slightly; as if he were forcing it forward, or forcing himself to not touch it.

"It... I... I can't... I'm not supposed to, I think." He said, his voice lowering in tone as he became more thoughtful.

"What do you mean ?" Elsa didn't notice at first but when she did she simply reached out a hand and lifted Marks chin up. Basically as if telling him 'My face is up here' "This door needs a key ? Where would it go ? I dont see a keyhole anywhere" She brushed her fingers barely on the surface of the door before turning back towards the pedistals. There were three on each side, and also two columns seperating them all.

Stepping over to one of the pedistals she used her magic to flick away the dust. "What if these pedistals are the keys ?" she said thoughtfully. The party was in full swing upstairs. "And we just need the... statues ? That go on them to unlock the door ?" she brushed off more dust. finding a name. "There's a name here... My grandmother's name..." She said reading the engraving, perfectly kept and dust free it said Queen Ingrid II. "Mark... your eyes are still bronze, come on, snap out of it, the room is brighter here..."

Mark shrugged, assuming that, like the door, it wasn't his place to touch the pedastals. "I assume they're hidden somewhere in the Kingdom then?" he asked calmly. He then coughed a few times, shaking his head. "Hate this stale air..." he grumbled, coughing again before sighing.

"Stale air ?" Elsa asked, she said nothing further as she felt a sudden draft and heard more machinery rumbling to life. Looking around she saw her snowflakes spinning madly in place as air flitered out and fresh cooling air gently filtered in, fresh and breathable. Well, that was interesting.

But his mention of the kingdom, and six statues... "Wait, what if they're not statues ? What if these are for burial urns ?" Elsa said, going to another pedistal she found another name this one of her ancestor that Blackmane had saved, Queen Marissa, She turned back to Mark, an estatic look on her face. "These are my ancestors names. What if Mother hid the urns across the kingdom to keep this place safe ?"

Mark breathed in slowly, and nodded; this air was better for sure. He looked around, confused again. Today was just full of surprises, it seemed. Mark then put a hand on his chin and thought. Urns would make sense, considering the size of the key-holes in the pedastals. "I wouldn't doubt it. Your family has a history with the Assassin Order; I've no doubt some old hiding techniques were passed down through your lineage." He said.

He then looked to the pedastals once more, and an idea came to him. "Perhaps... if we head to places that your ancestors frequented in their life-times, we will find the urns?" He suggested calmly.

"It doesn't make any sense" Elsa said thoughtfully "None of my ancestors were burned when they were buried, Mother showed me the vault where her mother was laid when I was little. It must be something in the urn, unless its a statutte of each of my ancestors that locks this thing somehow." It was true, the entire royal line was buried in horizontal vaults under Arendelle for ages.

"So if it is a urn or six we need to find to unlock, whatever is in there... Where do we look first ?" Elsa wondered aloud. none of this made sense at that moment, there was nothing in her mothers journals that she had so far about this room to begin with.

"What about that blinking light that the map showed us? What if they were there?" Mark then asked. "It's entirely possible that they're hidden so inconspicuously that they're bloody hard to find." He offered.

There must be some way to figure this out, that he was sure of. That map made little sense, this vault-type thing made little sense; and the two of them combined made even less sense. He sighed and crossed his arms. "My sister probably would have been able to figure this out no problem." he muttered; recalling how smart she was, even if she was younger than him.

"Do you think we could go ? What about the party ? The festival, Tomas said something of another painting he wanted me to see first light tomorrow" Elsa said, briefly she played with her braid before nodding "Alright, I think if Snowfeather or Blackmane can cover for us being gone we can sneak out and try to find the journal. Do you remember the building, at least, where it was on the map ?" Could they resummon the map ?

Elsa raised an eyebrow confused "You had a sister ?" Was that the woman and girl she saw on the window thing when her mother was speaking to them ? She wasn't exactly sure of what she was seeing at that point, or how it was even on a wall, like a little window of a sort. How one could make a memory play, like how they rewatched her dreams maybe ?

"You're the Queen, if you want to go somewhere within your own kingdom, who's to stop you?" he asked with a small smile. "Sure you might be called a bad hostess by those who don't favor you as well as other's but who cares about them, right?" he chuckled, crossing his arms. "Although, we can be quick and I can get you back here long before it's time for you to sleep." he added.

When question as to the location of the blip on the map he nodded. "Near the Wolfe Manor." He answerd calmly, then the quesiton of his sister came and he was quiet for a moment, turning. "Yes... I have a sister." he said. "Little Marion Wolfe; the prodigy of the current Wolfe Clan." He chuckled. "She was always smarter than me." he said, he then shook his head. "That's not important right now, though. If you wish to know what I'm willing to tell,, it can wait until after the parties are done and over with. Otherwise, you won't have all the fun expected from these celebrations!" he said, opening his arms as he laughed; trying to lighten the mood quickly and effortlessly.

"Now then; how's about a round of Free Running down to Whitehall?" he asked.

Elsa stepped from the pedistal with her ancestors name on it and stood looking towards the massive door. "She sounds like someone Anna could get along with easily. That... dream, we both saw what Mother showed us right ? With what I just saw, I doubt it'd dampen my week. Just hearing Mothers voice..." She faltered, a soft smile on her face as she remembered hearing her mothers voice. Seeing well not exactly seeing, her mother right there in the room with them. "Just hearing her voice, seeing her... sort of. I think I can handle bad news this week. Besides. Mother mentioned something about 'his help' what did she mean by that exactly ?" Who was her mother talking about ?

She waved a hand as if dismissing the thought. "You're right, I'm Queen, Anna has Snowfeather and Blackmane at her back, are you sure you want to freerun it ? It might look out of place with all the partygoers, every district is having something going on." She said, but he was right, she was queen and the only person or persons who'd call her a poor hostess is the Duke and his jerks in his group.

Mark was silent when Elsa asked about 'his help', as if thinking about it. He gripped his forehead, fingers squeezing his temples as he let out a slow, annoyed breath. " _Protect her. Protect your family. Protect the Heart of the Mountain._ " blared in his head yet again. Man it was annoying!

"Fine I'll do it, as if I had a choice in the matter..." He grumbled, shaking his head.

Elsa saw how Mark held his head in his hands. If he gripped his head any tighter he's hurt himself! reaching to her friend she asked. "Mark, what is it ? Are you alright ?" When he spoke she stared at him, what did he mean ? Briefly her mothers words rang in her ears i'With his help, Arendelle can be free of His influence!'/i Was this what his mother meant ? "Do what ? What do you mean ? What are you to do ?" She asked him. She had no idea he spoke with her ancestor Elena.

So she asked remembering when he said their ancestors had guided him "Wait, you mentioned that when you made your armor and our necklaces, that you were guided by our ancestors. What exactly happened ?"

Mark turned to look at Elsa, taking a deep breath before musetering up the words to tell her. "The night before the party seven months ago, I touched the _Duradaeden_ with my bare hands. When I did, my body was locked, and one of your ancestors, Elena, came to me." He explained. He paced for a second before turning towards her again. "She told me to protect you; no matter the cause; she showed me things; how to make the armor, how to make soft the unbreakable metal. How to protect what she called 'The Heart of the Mountain', which I assume means you and Anna." He continued.

"It's from her that I learned that the Whitehall Manor is actually the Wolfe manor; my family has had a presence here in Arendelle for almost as long as your family has." He explained. "The Wolfe Clan has always been your protectors and advisors, and closest friends. It is our duty to protect you and your family at whatever cost; even our lives." he said calmly, withdrawing the book he took from the library from his jacket. "This book will have more info on everything... I need to know. There's more to this story than I could imagine; than either of us could imagine." he said, smiling softly before replacing the book.

"I just thought... if I verbally agreed to Elena's orders... she'd quit screaming in my head to protect you." He whispered softly.

Elsa stared at Mark, "My... ancestor... spoke to you seven months ago ?" She pointed back up the curving stairs behind her "Like how Momma spoke to us about... this ? Was it you my mother meant when she said 'with his help' ? Or did she mean Matthew ?" Matthew had disappeared 8 months before, barely a month or so after Elsa and Mark had rescued Anna from the CIA. "She could not have meant Matthew, he's... been gone... again... No matter. Mother meant someone when she said 'him' I hope truly that she meant you. If my Ancestor spoke to you when you touched the... whatever it was that you called it ? Mike how Momma spoke to us moments ago"

It took Elsa about a minute or two, but finally she figured it out. "Something important is behind that door, something mother spoke about. The Wolfe Manor needs extensive rebuilding. And there is a party on this week. So, as soon as the party is over at the end of the week, I want you to select as many men from the workers we have to help rebuild the Manor. Also, I'm going to make it offical, tonight in fact, as soon as we get back to the party upstairs. Whitehall District is no more, it's what it should be, Wolfe District." Elsa had spotted a map barely decernable on the wall, her eagle vision made her eyes briefly flicker silver when she spotted it out of the corner of her eyes, it showed the full 71 distrcts of Arendelle, and where Whitehall was, a different name was in its place, Wolfe.

Elsa smiled then however "Come on, no doubt everyone is starting to wonder where I went with you. And some will want to speak with me or you or us both" She said to Mark, a sweet smile on her face, they could worry about finding the statues later. Besides, she was not going back upstairs to the party without Mark by her side, she felt safest with him

 **Arendelle Castle Courtyard**

 **At that same moment**

The Duke noticed first and foremost a marked increase in Assassin presense in Arendelle, there was easily two dozen of the hooded men and women in the courtyard alone. None of them wearing the Arendelle markings but all of them wearing the trademark hoods. The Duke wasn't able to see if any had weapons, but he iknew/i the weapons were present. Heck, he was let through the gates by two of them alone with his invitations. The dark suited man with his party had quickly disappeared, The Duke was glad for two reasons about that fact, for one the dark suited man scared him, and for two, the dark suited man unnerved him something fierce.

The Duke soon spotted Snowfeather, a dark smile graced his face as he saw who the white haired woman was speaking with. Great, Princess Anna of Arendelle was also present. Wonderful. Not exactly the women he wanted to speak to, but the woman in question, Snowfeather, he had a bone to pick with. Confidently striding through the many partygoers the Duke, and his two bodyguards, the same two he had try to take out Elsa with him came right up to Snowfeather and Princess Anna. The Duke noticed a ring on Anna's left hand, clearly an engagement ring.

"Princess Anna, I see the Queen has blessed a marriage ?" The Duke said snidly to the woman, had Snowfeather not been there, Anna would have easily decked the Duke where he stood and it'd be justified. The Duke was not very welcomed within Arendelle, and being assaulted there was not the best of things.

"I'd hold your temper if I were you" Came the calm voice of Snowfeather. Snowfeather towered over the Duke, nearly double his hieght, and yet, her temper was strangely calm. She took note of his fellows "These are the two you entered in the contest tonight ?" She meant the sparring battle, Snowfeather herself was included in that, heck, she was the one most were sparring with.

"Yes" The Duke replied calmly, well, as calmly as was able, he was in deep shit and he knew it, but he didn't give a damn anyhow at that point. His men gave Snowfeather careful looks before the Duke smirked and spoke anew "We still have a date do we not ?"

"Not any more." Snowfeather replied

"What do you mean exactly by that ?" The Duke asked

"Exactly what it says in fine print." Snowfeather smirked

The Duke looked ready to blow a gasket as he calmly replied "Where is the Queen ? We have a deal to make" Snowfeather knew the truth.

"Leave your men with me when you go to see Elsa, and your deal will be made. And your men well treated." Snowfeather said calmly in reply

"Very well, that works for me!" With a look to his men, the two soldiers of Weselton, which both Elsa and pretty much all of Arendelle pronounced as Weasletown, were ready to spar with Snowfeather. And yet for the moment, all seemed well. Too well. The Duke was soon directed into the castle to the Study where Elsa did all her dealings.

As the duke left Anna sighed, thankful that Snowfeather was there lest she do something stupid before everyone. Turning to her friend she said with a soft smile. "Thank you."

"You do not need to thank me Anna, thank Georgina's bodyguard." Snowfeather was Elsa's swordsworn bodyguard for the next few years. And yet not many knew exactly what was going on. "Come on, its almost time for the sparring contest." Anna smiled, at least the Duke did not ask exactly where Elsa was, or who she was with.

Over by the gates as soon as all the guests were within; those with invitations at least, Georgina nodded to 'Diana' it was time to mingle and observe, keep things civil, in this case that meant 'keep track of the Duke and where he went and keep Elsa safe even with Mark present' Georgina was taking a very big risk putting Diana, who was really Marks younger sister Marion, in the same room as her brother with their worst enemy.

Diana... no, Marion nodded, and vanished into a passing crowd, following the Duke calmly, silently, and rather expertly for someone still reletively new to the Order and its ways. It must have come naturally. Weaving through the crowds, she couldn't help overhear some conversations going on around her.

"Who was that man that introduced the Queen?" Sad a older fellow

"I dunno, but I've seen him around her a lot recently." Said a man with him

"You don't think they could be..." Asked a young lady

"Possible... I wouldn't rule out anything." Said another

"He's handsome" Said a third young lady.

It was true, Mark had been spending a heck of a lot more time with Elsa, after all he was her new teacher and primary protector now that Matthew was gone. But these rumors. How? What? Marion couldn't understand them; at least, not yet. She either had to see more, or didn't want to understand them. Either way, though, it wasn't important at that moment, as she had to do her job: Follow the Jerk of a Duke.

The Duke did not know he was being followed, he was mouthy like normal as he was lead by one of the many soldiers of Arendelle to the study, the door held open for him, the soldier never saw Diana following his charge as he held open the door for a servant to exit as the Duke took a seat in the room. Bookshelves lined the walls. Elsa was not in the massive room... yet. there were plenty of places to hide though!

A few moments later and Elsa was located on the upper floors, with her was Mark, the servant spoke of someone wiating in the study downstairs as Elsa locked her mothers bedroom door with a snowflake lock. But only one other could open it besides herself, besides, Mark needed access to her mothers library too. Another minute and the two stood outside the study door. Two guards on either side. Taking in the two men Elsa spoke up thoughtful. "Either someone important waits for me inside or my worst enemy is inside the study. which is it ?" She asked, turning her gaze to Mark. Niether of them knew who waited for them inside the study.

Mark looked to Elsa as she looked to him, his eyes flashing Bronze for a second. "Would you like me to go first? With my armor on in case they try anything?" He asked her calmly. Slowly the armor began to materialize on his body again, a silent, beautiful glow pulsing across his body. A servant gestured to the door to the study the Duke sat in, and Mark nodded to him, the armor materializing on his body fully at the point, his eyes glowing bronze as he raised his hood.

"Her Majesty Queen Elsa of Arendelle approaches." A servant said as the door opened. But it would not be Elsa that the Duke's eyes would fall upon at that second; but Mark, who stared directly at him with a stern expression while the armor glowed with life.

Marion had slipped inside unseen by all, and sat on a chair at the door silently, one leg crossed over the other and her fingers splayed out in a tower-like shape as she watched everything that was going on.

Mark made no motion that he had seen her, or that he knew that she was even there, and instead remained silent as he approached a chair at the end of the table and pulled it out for Elsa, who was just behind him. He would always be near her; at least two feet to be safe, with his arms either loosely at his side or crossed over his chest.

The Duke turned as the servant spoke, about time, he was about to stand and complain of having to wait for so long in a poorly lit study but the words of his complaint faded from his mind when someone, not the Queen, stepped into the study, Elsa right behind, Ok, her dress looked... darker then normal. Was that normal ? He barely recalled the first time he really ever met Elsa, so prestine, so poised, so... scared. Yet now she seemed calmer, braver, and more... in control ? He couldn't tell. He watched stone silent as The first person to enter, a armored man, it had to be a man, nobody in their right mind could wear that kind of armor! the Duke took it all in. He watched as the man pulled a chair for the queen to take a seat upon

When Elsa had sat she saw who waited for her, and simply smiled. Ah, her enemy, the man who tried to kill her through his men, at least it wasn't Hans. Elsa set her hands upon the table, her fingers steepled briefly as she regarded the Duke as she turned towards the door, a servant stood there, a brief nod and the lights in the room were turned up a bit, less dim then before. Elsa turned back to the Duke, failing outright to notice anyone else in the room with them. "It has been a while has it not ?" Elsa asked the man who had sent his men to kill her in the past. "No bodyguards this time ?" Elsa was tempted to ask if the men had failed him and were let go, but chose to keep her tongue, for the moment.

Marion looked to her brother..."Mark..." she mouthed silently while quietly wiping her cheek. He looked so... powerful. So strong and healthy and ... well, maybe happy wasn't the right word at the moment. Their mother would be proud to have a young man like him as her son; heck, she was proud. Any mother would be proud; she was sure of it! That blaze of his eyes; the bronze staring seemingly at everything within range and taking it all in at once...it unnerved her to some degree, and she couldn't really explain it.

Mark's adams apple dropped in his throat; he had changed the tone and pitch of his voice,and would use this deeper, more intimidating voice whenever he spoke. "I believe our dear friend did not want to offend you with their presence, your Majesty." He said calmly, not taking his eyes off the Duke while he placed a hand gently on the back of the chair Elsa sat in.

The Duke smiled, "They are busy... elsewhere" He said, trying to keep his temper in check, Mark was rather imposing, and his tone meant keep things civil, well, how civil could the Duke be ? Well, lets find out! "An old friend is taking care of them as we speak. You know her most likely, Snowfeather I believe her name is" He said, if he was trying to get a reaction out of Elsa, it failed. She just blinked at him apparently bored to even look at him. In the somewhat brighter light the Duke noticed her ice dress was a darker shade, was that red ?

"That is good then, why are you here ?" Elsa finally asked after a brief second or two of thought, trying to piece together why the man who sent men to kill her was in her study of all places. What did he want ? She sat up on her chair and looked at the Duke intently. The man trapped in her gaze smiled thinly

"Oh it is rather simple really." He cast a glance towards Mark, "I simply want to restart trade between Weselton and Arendelle" Elsa smirked. Well... that was something she'd have to think about. The look Elsa threw him, that glare, solid, direct, yet calm and tranquil, as if she had nothing else around her as she focused on him. Well. That gaze was nervracking for sure. the Duke figidited under her gaze as he tried to match it. "Truth is, Weselton has fallen on hard times" _Sure it had, I was there a year ago, in your basement_ "Reestablishing trade between us would help alleiviate that." It was actually partly true. only the capital of Weselton was in good shape, everything else was pretty much roughing it.

Mark's eyebrows raised at the suggestion of trade; but the intensity of his gaze only deepened somehow. He crouched down to whisper into Elsa's ears. "Consider this extremely carefully. True, it would allieviate their suffering people and relations between Arendelle and Weselton... but it would allow Templars to infiltrate our borders quicker and provide them with funding. Of course... that's a double edged sword, as we'd get the same wealth and spy network." His voice was just barely a whisper; and one could almost hear the tension in the room even iwith/i Mark's whispering.

Marion leaned foward slightly; trying her hardest to hear what her brother was saying to Elsa, who from what she could see, remained emotionless and staring at the Duke. This was... extremely tense and draining; even for her; a fresh recruit, of the Wolfe family, no less!

Elsa listened to Mark, This was indeed something she was going to have to carefully think on. Very carefully think on. She nodded then, both to the Duke and to Mark's words. "The festival lasts seven days, on the eve of the seventh day, I will give you my thoughts upon restarting trade with Weasletown." She had intentionally misspoke his countires name. Just get his ire up. But the Duke oddly remained calm. For the moment the Templar Grand Master was content with her current choice, She needed to think on the trade agreement. He could give her that.

"Very well" The Duke nodded, "Seven days, We will discuss it more then." He was already plotting on how to take down Elsa, or at least get her out of his hair for a while, his mind working a mile a minute on different ideas, each one included her bed among other things, bed, food, get her slightly ill perhaps ?

"Good" Elsa stood up from the table "I will see you in seven days. You are welcome to stay here in the castle in the guest wing if you would like" Ok that was a bad move, yet it was also a very good move at the same time. In this case Elsa could keep an eye on the Duke and his men with her own men and Assassins, and make it look as if nothing was amiss, maybe even intionally give fake information, or already finished contracts in plain view for him to find, string him along as long as she could.

As Elsa stood the doors were opened and as they were, Marion stood and ducked out of the door, taking up a position just outside and posing as one of the many Assassins spread out among the castle to stand guard. As Elsa stood and turned to move, Mark's stood as well and let his arms hang loosely at his sides. He gave a slight nod to the Duke as he turned and left; a common show of courtesy. After all, the Duke didn't reach Grandmaster by simply sitting on his ass all day. At least, not to Mark's knowledge, which considering his habits in libraries, was very extensive.

As they exited the door closed behind him and Elsa, and he shifted his voice back to normal. "I think that went rather well. Now you don't have to see him for another seven days." He said. "If you don't want to, that is." He added calmly, softly.

Elsa stepped ino the hall and a few paces later she spoke her mind "We do not know for sure if what he says is true. When I was in his basement dungeon eversobriefly with Snowfeather and Blackmane, the building seemed well cared for. But I did not see much if at all" She sighed as she walked, thoughtfully so. "Send two of our more experienced recruits to Weselton, have them desguise as merchants, they are merely to observe the state of the country and its citizens" She said, "They return in seven days, and when they give their report, it is afterwhich when I give the duke my answer to his proposal."

The Duke watched them leave, briefly seeing a third exit before them. Dratted Assassins were everywhere in the kingdom now! He started thinking on proper trade proposals, act as if nothing was amiss, he had no idea his men were under Hans orders to try and take out the queen, when the Duke merely wished to try and treat with her, turn her onto his side.

Elsa was thinking on how to trap the duke in his own actions. Of course Mark wouldn't approve, heck she doubted that if Matthew were there still that he'd approve. Using herself as bait, her birthday in two days time. But it didn't matter. She smiled and continued walking, heading back towards the ice rink courtyard. Doubtless people wondered where she had been!

In the courtyard things were going smoothly, A lower ranking assassin recruit that Georgina had under her wing arrived and informed her of something important, Well, the templars were daring that was for sure. She thanked the man and went to find Mark, the recruit staying at her post to keep watch on things. She had to inform Mark of this development

Mark nodded at the order to send two recruits to Weselton. "It'll be done quickly." he said calmly. He walked with her down the corridor further before tilting his head to either side, his neck cracking audibly before he sighed. "Who knew a tense meeting with our sworn enemy would be so...boring." He said calmly, making an attempt at a joke as he and Elsa rounded a corner, heading for the Courtyard where the party was being held.

"Come then, Elsa. You'd be a poor host if you didn't greet your guests in person, I should think." He said with a smile as he quickened the pace with which he walked.

"You are right. Who knew it'd be so boring, if the Duke was trying to make me mad... he failed" She had a smirk on her face which quickly faded as she smiled, quickly sliding her left arm into his right as they walked along she nodded "Yes, I do need to greet the people in person. After all, they came to my party to begin with." She let Mark lead the way, thankfully if she wasn't with him she'd have run headlong into Georgina who was looking for Mark about something important concerning the Clearwater District, the templars there were hoarding supplies for the district in a large warehouse.

As Georgina came into view, Elsa quickly yet slyly slid her arm from Marks, she had no idea of the rumors, nor did Mark, or Georgina. Yet Diana did. Which was going to be an eye opener when they were revealed, to be truth and not simple rumor.

"Ah! There you are. Kai said you'd be in the study, I trust everything went well, no frozen dead men to clean up ?" Georgina's sense of humor was kicking in it seemed.

Mark did not react to Elsa slipping her arm in his or out of his, aside from closing his arm around hers when she slipped it in, and relaxing as she slipped out quickly. He looked to Georgina and nodded. "Indeed, no frozen bodies to clean up." Mark rolled with the humor and then cleared his throat again. "I trust everything is going well in the courtyard so far?" He asked calmly. He had to remember that they were still doing their jobs.

Marion... Diana... same person, made her way down the halls. She had tailed the Duke as ordered... now where was Georgina? She'd have to report everything. She half-walked, half-meandered through the corridors, taking the time to admire some paintings and sculptures that were scattered about.

"That is good, I suppose, yes, everything is going to plan, for the most part, one of our new recruits was doing a den observence of some districts just north of Whitehall, along the coastline, some of the islands there as well, the Clearwater Distrct." Georgina did not look too happy about the news she was about to spill like a shitload of bricks. "The templars there have a warehouse little smaller then the Chapel. Filled with supplies intended for the islands of Clearwater District, the people there it is reported, are starving."

Yes, that was not good news, not good news in the slightest. As Elsa listened her gaze went from merriment to sudden careful thoughtfulness to near outright anger; eversobriefly however snow snowflakes flickered about her. Oh this was not the least bit good news at all. As far as she knew, this news was awful! On her birthday celebrations of all days too! She started to pace, what to do, what to do ?

Mark noticed the snowflakes and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder, looking to her. "Well then; I guess we're going to Clearwater." He said calmly. "Elsa, we'll sneak out of the castle by way of Ulnaus, then head to Clearwater. We can work on getting that warehouse taken care of. Georgina, send some... relatively new recruits to hide and sneak around clearwater. They could use the experience. They'll also help distribute the food once Elsa here liberates it in the name of her people." He smiled, patting her shoulder as his armor seemed to pulse with light and his eyes flashed bronze.

"Come, Ulnaus awaits us on the nearest balcony."

Marion rounded the corner a few heartbeats later, only to find Mark and Elsa leaving Georgina rather quickly, and, approaching Georgina, she lowered her hood slowly. "So... what is my brother getting himself into now?" She asked softly, not meaning the mission in Clearwater, but the obvious affection between him and Elsa.

As she was guided towards a window and the balconey beyond she stopped, "Actually, we ? Even though its my party, my people are suffering. I'll go, the warehouse I know the area, My mother took me there a few times growing up when she visited friends in that disrict. I want you to cover for me here. I have to do this, well not have to do this, I want to do this. If anyone asks, I'm... currently indisposed" in other words, fake it. Basically

But of course Mark was one to insist. Finally she nodded "Alright fine, at least distract those here for the party for a few minutes before following ok ?" She gave Mark those clear sweet innocent eyes she possessed, pretty much the cute kitten look really. By then they were out of earshot of Georgina and Diana

"You noticed that too huh ?" Georgina asked from where she stood in the hall, She noticed right off at giving the news that Elsa wanted to go and figure out this newest problem as quickly as possible. "Clearwater District has a warehouse, and den, all in one, that needs liberating. Mark wants me to send some recruits to sneak around in Clearwater, and gather resources and learn the lay of the Islands as well. I want you to follow Elsa, from the sounds of things, she's going alone, keep her safe," Georgina handed Marion a walkie talkie type device, keyed to her own. "Use this, if anything goes wrong, you get gas, a leaf blows the wrong way, someone jumps Elsa, anything, call me. Got it ?"

Mark couldn't resist those eyes... at least not as he was. If he were more focused, then he could, but with his attention rather spread thin, he sighed and nodded. "Very well. I"ll distract the partygoers for a minute or two, then I'll join you by transport array." He said calmly. With that, he patted her back and went to a balcony overlooking the courtyard and raising his hand, attracting the attention of the partygoers easilly.

"We apologize for the delay of her Highness making an appearance to personally greet each and every one of you, but it seems that she is suffering from a rather... distasteful stomach ache at the moment. The healer is seeing to her, and she should be with us all in a matter of a few hours at best." he said before bowing to the people, and turning to leave. He cast a transport array in front of him and vanished into it. But not before letting out a few bird-calls, a large assortment of large, attractive birds flying to the courtyard to land and entertain the guests.

Marion clipped the walkie-talkie onto one of her coats internal pockets against her chest and nodded in responce. "Follow Elsa? Sure. I doubt I'll get gas... haven't eaten much today." She said before putting up her hood and using her own transport array to head to clearwater. It was the same color and design as Mark's but pulsed with a brighter amount of light, indicating that her magical abilities were stronger than her brothers.

Georgina smirked but said nothing regarding the gas comment, even so she knew Elsa was in good hands. After all, Marion had the experience to be a Den Master herself! But, Georgina knew she had to play it safe. After all, can't go about letting the Templars know she was alive to begin with. not yet anyway. She watched quietly as Marion disappeared and then she herself went back outside to the guests. Nearly pecked by a beautiful white cocatoo that was singing to the nearby orcrestra, which was actually kinda silly, but hey, with all the other birds in the courtyard, Georgina had to briefly wonder where they came from before remembering Mark had that gift she went back to her post to keep watch, the guests were indeed well entertained.

Though some of the guests hoped Elsa was going to be alright, given that Georgina did not hear Marks announcement concerning Elsa's current effective state, stomachache ? Yes, the Templars just gave her one, she had to set it to rights too. So in a way she was seeing the healer, just, not in the castle.

 **Clearwater District**

 **Centeral Island**

 **A few minutes later**

A gentle swipe of ice was all it took, and a templar soldier, not in any colors Elsa recognised whatsoever, slid quietly to the ground. Her gaze was on a bell in the middle of the space, She'd spotted other templar soldiers briefly, but wasn't sure how many there were. Moving quietly forwards in the darkness she cast her ice at the bell, the ringer inside it fell out and to the ground, she quickly kicked it into some shrubs before pulling another templar into a small wardrobe and choking the guy to death. She peeked out, nobody noticed, perfect. For the moment. She ducked out of the hiding place and stayed in the shadows as much as she could. There weren't many Templars out and about. But what she idid/i see was a rather large ship coming not far away. Where there docks there ? Why was that ship coming this far north of the port itself ?

A flash of light in a nearby alley-way alerted some Guards at the gate of the warehouse. Staying at their posts, they readied themselves, eyebrows furrowed as they widened their stance slightly.

"The hell was that?"

"Hell if I know."

Mark then came hauling ass out of said Alleyway. He was wearing his full set of armor, hood up, but not wearing any weapons on him aside from the rope-dart hanging from his wrist, already swinging at a high-speed as he flung it at one guard, missing barely. He gritted his teeth and pulled back his right arm, jumping and landing a devastating right cross to the closest guard's jaw, shattering it while he then turned towards the other one, who began to pull out his dagger. Mark caught him by the wrist, and forced his arm to stab himself in the throat.

Mark then turned and lifted his leg, curbstomping the other guard's throat and twisting his heel.

"Oh, what the fuck!?" A Templar shouted in an exasperated, I'm-too-fucking-tired-for-this-shit-right-now kind of tone as he saw what had just happened. This man, the Captain no less of the district, and also the Key-holder Elsa saught, turned to run for the Alarm bell, heading right at Elsa.

 _OK, nobody around I think I can,... wait what ?_ Elsa was about to make a mad dash to the next thick area of ferns when a man all but ran her down. Fast as she could to avoid getting seen she snagged the man by the wrist and her left arm slashed across his throat as her ice blade froze his main artry dead on, killing him within a heartbeat. She laid him down in the ferns with her. Well, that was easy. Now where was the keyholder ? She started patting the man down. He seemed in a hurry. "Lets see, what do you have on... you now..." She plucked the key from around the mans neck. Perfect! Wha ? She heard birds. Lots of birds She darted off and hid in some more thick greenery, it was time to raid the warehouse... but why all the birds What good were they ?

A soldier came upon the bodies where Mark stood, "You there! Hold a moment!" The man joined by six others never saw his leader take ice to the neck by the Queen herself. But when he identified Mark his stature changed considerably. "You're coming with us" The six soldiers pretty much surrounded Mark, none of them knowing who he really was as behind them their leader was dead in the bushes and what was more, the warehouse key was in the Queens possession. And Elsa figured out why all the birds, She actually needed to find that warehouse door, so naturally she climbed up the tower. There was no firerope, nor grease. Just plain sandpaper, which itched a bit, but not too badly, she quickly scampered up the tower using the shadows to hide herself as much as she could. with the red in her dress it was easy.

A Sparrow would be the one to sit on the torch in front of Elsa as she climbed to the top of the tower, chirping happily as it then looked to the oil drum and hay in the center before flying away. Mark raised his hands as the six Templars surrounded him, a... unnerving smirk on his face that made the Templars grip the handles of their blades tightly.

"Get moving!" A Templar shoved Mark, making him move towards the warehouse while the six surrounded him still. Mark moved calmly, his fingers opening and closing, the claws of each of the gauntlets shimmering in the light of the moon and stars. "A fine night for a bonfire, don't you think lads?" Mark asked calmly to the Templars around him.

Elsa took a careful look around the district, she could see it all from up there, even the festival, or the lights and banners from it, from that tower. It had to be highest tower in the kingdom. Even though it was on an island. Time to light it. She spotted the sparrow after briefly looking around for the chirping. A soft smile on her face as she reached first to the sparrow to give it a thankyou belly rub of a sort before grabbing hold of the torch. Time to light it!

She looked down off the tower, spotting a haystack she tossed the torch onto the oil drum which quickly lit up like a bonfire before swiftly climbing down half way. It was time for some fun, after all, it was her party! Halfway down she spotted the group surrounding Mark, and aimed to land on one of them as she pushed off the tower.

The soldiers were confused by what Mark meant by bonfire. "Are you off your rocker ?" Said one, who'd taken out a pistol and held Mark at gunpoint. Not two seconds later did Elsa land dead on the guy, snapping his neck just on the landing alone, that in and of itself threw the soldiers into a panic, If the queen was there, that meant trouble, lots of it.

Mark made no movements at the sight of a pistol in his face. His grin only got wider. "There is a distict possibility." He answered, making eye contact with the man just before Elsa dropped onto him, causing the gun to up in the air. Mark caught it, and brought it around, smacking one guard with it before grabbing him with his free arm, using him as a body-shield while he shot another one dead in the face.

Marion sprang into action then as well, darting with blinding speed from the tree she was sitting in and landing on another Templar, blades in his neck as he crumpled to the ground.

Mark let out another shot, and another Templar fell to the ground. Leaving one for Elsa while Mark grinned even wider while pressing the barrel of the gun to the temple of the man in his grip, who struggled to get out. "Ah-ah! You'll watch your last friend die by the Queen's hand, then you'll join him." Mark growled, pressing the barrel harder into his temple, making him stop struggling out of fear, a distinct wet spot in his armor running down his leg.

What seemed a simple 'drop-on-the-target-break-his-neck-on-landing' ended up becoming a full on no-holds-barred-fistfight. In otherwords, Elsa's birthday was indeed a smash hit that year for sure. Elsa ducked a wild punch as the templar she faced, the last once reached for his gun, only to find it frozen to his hip as he ended upo trading kicks, and punches with Elsa for about a minute until she dodged a wild punch that sent the man sailing clean past her, and slitting his own throat on a icicle she'd stuck in the ground behind her. The man gurgled as he breathed his last. Elsa patted off her hands, that was that. She held up a hand towards Mark "Hold it! Let him talk, he seems to know something. Diana, get his gear off him"

The soldier Mark held was white as a leaf, and clearly quite young, possibly no older then twenty or so. With a family, parents, maybe a child of his own ? It was clear the guy would much rather be at the festival then get killed. But all the other men were older more vile men. This guy was the only youngster out of the bunch in the entire district!

Just as Mark's finger was about to pull the Trigger, Elsa stopped him, and he looked to her, his finger moving from the trigger to the side so it wouldn't twitch or slip. "Diana" held up her hands and shook her head before crossing her arms. "He just wet himself, Majesty. I'm not touching him." she said simply. It was a fair enough point. Hell, even Mark backed off a few inches, making the young man lean back slightly.

"You'll answer everything the Queen says with at least three words, or you'll eat your tongue tonight. Understood?" Mark asked the man, who frantically nodded before Mark relaxed slowly, letting the man stand on his own.

Ok fine... Elsa found herself thinking, the man was clearly young, obviously not wanting to even be a templar, seeing how Elsa took out first his commanding officer, she landed on him for fuck sake! And then her magic implaing the others. To be honest the young man, named Joshua, was actually wanting to be attending the party with his parents and wife. With a sigh Elsa titled her head towards the young man, asking simply "What is your name ? Why are the Templars hoarding food here ? What is their plan with this warehouse ?" A few templar soldiers arrived, they had spotted the signal fire. Elsa motioned them to empty the warehouse and give the food and supplies within to those that needed it most dire.

The man thought carefully, "My name is Joshua, your Majesty. I'm not sure exactly why, but apparently it has to do with recent happenings in the kingdom. Districts, according to him at least" He pointed at the commanding officer, the one that Elsa had landed on, "Had fallen to you or some such nonsense, I never really wanted to be part of this outfit anyhow. Nobody told me anything, only to guard here in the case of trouble. But." Joshua smiled, "I see my information reached the right ears" It was him that contacted by messenger bird to Georgina's recruits of the warehouse, he honestly wanted out of the templars control. "The food and supplies within the warehouse were to be shipped out on that ship tonight during the fireworks at the festival."

"That food and supplies will be given to the people in this district that need it the most. Now, get yourself cleaned up," Elsa said, she crafted a snowflake, her personal crest, and handed it to him, "Once cleaned up, go see Commander Freyla, give him this and tell him I sent you to him, I think you'd make a good agent for me to spy on the Templars."

Mark put the safety on the gun, and put it in his belt, letting it sit there in a sort of make-shift holster. "Diana... once the festivle is over this week, remind me to make a Holster or two for some pistols. I think they'd be most useful in combat now." He said. The younger woman nodded softly in responce, agreeing with him. "Actually... never mind. I'll have the leather-workers start pumping out Holsters for everyone while I work with some... old friends." he said calmly.

Mark still had contacts in the CIA in America and with a few favors that he'd earned, he could easily provide enough guns for the entirety of the Arendelle Assassin Order and Royal Guard to have at least two. He'd have to get his hands on a phone. Perhaps...the Templars had one in one of their dens. He'd have to go on another liberation spree to find out.

Diana looked to Elsa. "Come, your Magesty, your people await your arrival at the courtyard." She said, a transport array opening behind her. Mark's Transport Array, actually.

"Ah, yes...and if anyone asks you, you're okay now. You had a stomach ache and the healers have treated you effectively." Mark said to Elsa calmly before stepping through, appearing behind the closed doors to the courtyard. Once the three of them were there, Mark smiled and opened the doors before the birds all squaked and flew towards him to get the attention of the people again.

"Ladies and Gentleman! I present to you, Elsa, Queen of Arendelle!" he said, gesturing to her. A servant had quickly cleaned the blood off of Elsa's body before the doors were opened, and made her look presentable.

Elsa smiled and nodded, If anyone asked, she had a bad stomachache, and now the Healer had helped her out, perfect! She smiled, now was the time for the party to be sure! The birds flew about crazily, making weird patterns in the air. Elsa spotted a fountain and made it snow with some beautiful ice patterns, nothing like her coronation day


	20. Seqeunce 5 Memory 4

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 5**_

 ** _Memory 3: When It Comes to Money part 1_**

 **19 December 2051**

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Castle Icerink Courtyard**

 **Midnight**

It was time for the fireworks. Ah yes, every year they did fireworks at midnight. But this year it was going to be more... sparkly, Elsa had gone among the partygoers and the people really were enjoying themselves, Oddly the Duke and his men were too, even after the two bodyguards had their egos bruised by Snowfeather, the Duke however enjoyed the show quite a bit. Going so far as to place a bet that his men would drop like sacks of weat to a woman three times less their weight. Which of course they had moments later.

Georgina found Mark, but not Diana, "So how'd it go ?" She kept an eye on Elsa as the queen went from family to family, and group to group, thanking them for joining her at the castle for the first night of the party, the party lasted a week, seven days exactly. It was basically also the new years party

Mark gestured to the gun in his belt. "Oh, just fine, really. We had a lovely bonfire and there was free marshmallows for everyone." He said calmly, not attracting any unncessessary attention to himself. Not that attention wasn't given to him, what with his strange, glowing armor. "We'll need to arm our agents with guns starting next month. I'm going to get the go-ahead from Snowfeather tonight; then talk to an old friend of mine in the CIA." he explained softly.

"The Templars _cannot_ have the upper hand on us like they did when Snowfeather sent me to liberate one of the districts in Cairo when I was a lad." he said. "You can ask her about those details... I made it out without a scratch; but she... she had some run ins with them herself." He said calmly.

He then gave Georgina a curt bow. "Now if you'll excuse me, unless you would like to dance, I will go and stuff my face full of food." He said, giving her a smile. Mark was apt to dance with anyone at this point; he'd had a good day. After all, his brand-new armor was complete and fully functional, the people were happy, he'd liberated another district, and even recruited someone at the same time! Hell, Mark would dance with the Duke himself if he didn't want to tear his throat out!

"Is that why the armor" Georgina asked calmly, it was not every day when Mark wore stuff like ithat/i He then explained to her of what happened the last time the Templars had guns. Georgina remembered the only time when Templars didn't have access to even so much as gunpowder itself!

Georgina stared at Mark, Mark danced ? Didn't Snowfeather say he didn't ? Then again it was Snowfeather that landed in the fjord on Marks first day home to begin with. The one thing that Georgnia did not notice however was the book hidden in Marks armor. Today was a good day, so to speak. Mark seemed happier. Elsa too. Marshmellows and a bonfire ? Georgina took in the newly aquired pistol, well shit. Was her first thought.

Finally as she was actually about to ask if Mark did in fact cared to dance, Elsa beat her to the punch as she arrived back with them "Ah there you two are, just in time too, Kai just informed me that the soldiers at the fireworks station are just about ready to set them off" Elsa looked to Mark, she had debated on putting her hair back into a braid but decided against it, letting it just be loose for once. her eyes seemed to shine as if backlit by the many torches and lights in the courtyard. Nearby the band began a merry tune "Mark, I..." Elsa seemed almost shy to ask him if he wanted to dance as her question died on her lips.

It seemed at that moment that the question was to be his to ask her!

Mark turned to Elsa as she approached, giving her a small bow. As she began her question to him, he raised his eyebrows, but then smiled, lowering his hood, giving her one of just a few really good looks at his face in the light. Fair and defined, his high cheekbones added depth and grace to his visage, and his brown eyes flashed bronze. He removed the pistol from his belt and handed it to Geogina. Mark's trimmed beard seemed... less imposing in the light of the courtyard, his features softer, more... gentle and relaxed. The last time anyone had seen him with such a gentle expression was when Snowfeather caught him crushing on a girl back in Cairo, when he was only 15 years old. Under Snowfeather's counsel, he returned to his training, and lost interest in the girl, however they remained good friends. Now, however? Snowfeather wouldn't be there to stop Mark. He was much too old now. There would only be so much he'd listen to from her.

"Would you like to dance, your highness?" he asked, holding out his hand in offering as the Orchestra began to get ready for a new song, the conductor giving out the signal for a good dance-song for two reasons. Reason one: It was time for the dancing to begin, and two: He caught sight of the Queen herself being asked to dance! How could he not play the best song the Orchestra knew?

Elsa couldn't blush, she was too overjoyed really, the last time anyone really did ask if she wanted to dance was the Duke, that was at her coronation, and everyone knew what a disaster that was to begin with. She smiled, she took his hand. As they stepped onto the ice rink, which was instantly on her feet touching the ice just slilghty thicker, thick enough in fact for dancing without anyone slipping on the ice as the conductor started the music. The best possible dance music he could think of.

Elsa was a bit nervous, she had taken dancing lessons growing up, but that was it. So when the music started all she could think about was being in Marks arms, This was similar she found herself thinking, to the time when Mark carried her and put her in her own bed at the time. Seven months before! Icicles she was nervous, no idea how to start the dancing but the music felt so perfect for the occasion.

Mark knew many things that others didn't know he knew; Dancing was one of them. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Elena briefly, a smile on her face. He blinked and she was gone. As the music started, his armor began to glow dimly as he led Elsa through the steps with ease and grace, his hand on her hip, helping to gently guide her in the right direction so she did not step on his toes, nor mess up the steps.

"I must say, my Queen, you are the best Dancing partner I've had to date." He said calmly, turning his head to look her in the eyes as he spoke.

With Mark guiding their movements she soon got into the proper step, and with Mark and the music perfectly in tune and others joining them rather quickly smiled thoughtfully, "I must admit, I... had lessons growing up, but eight years ago I... kind of stopped learning" Oh she felt safe, perfectly safe in Marks arms. Moving in step she asked softly, "Is your armor supposed to do that ?" Or was it the light playing tricks on her eyes ? It didn't matter, they were dancing

Standing off to the side Georgina watched everything, Snowfeather had taken her leave, no doubt to gorge herself in the dining room, Blackmane was also spotted briefly, the multicolored robes of the Mentor from Alexandria watched everything carefully. Georgina thought had to stare, Mark could dance ? She was still staring when 'Diana' stepped up next to her, Georgina voiced her question softly "Mark can dance ?" As she asked the question she watched as Mark spun Elsa and the Queen leaned back smoothly, gently, nothing like how the duke, the self procliamed "peacock with the head of a monkey" type of really bad dancer had danced with Anna eight years before!

"Yes... he can dance. Our mother made us practice with eachother before...well, y'know." Marion answered as she watched the two. As the song came upon a crescendo, Mark's armor glowed brighter and he twirled Elsa gently.

Mark nodded in response to her question. "Yes... I'm making it do so." He said, his eyes glowing dimly as he only stared into hers. He could get lost in those eyes of hers, but he had to focus on the music for the cues to spin and twirl and lean and the like. Mark relished in the fact that he had Elsa so close...in his arms. He felt...oddly complete with her here. The song began to slow down and the armor dimmed as they continued.

"It is beautiful" Elsa replied softly as they danced. As the music reached the crecendo and then started to slow as they danced she kept with him in pace and step. As if she had memorised the movements, and just needed to remember them. But Mark, being that close to him, holding his hand, dancing with him. She felt oddly at peace. As the music began to slow ever the more so did their movements. He spun her once more and then he, and all the other guys really on the 'dance floor' all bowed to their partner, and the ladies all curitsed in response. Elsa matching ever move as she had remembered

As the music slowed Georgina smiled, "Snowfeather once mentioned to me that Mark asked her, why him, why Arendelle, she told me that she told Mark, that was for him to find out. What do you think ?" She asked softly to Marion. knowing her mentors sister's true name made things easier for her. In a way "What if, the reason of why him, why here, is her ?" Georgina had no idea of the family tree, and that each generation had protected the Royal Family ever since Flowerfist the Fair and Second Wolfe, she smiled however as the song slowly ended, as the dancing partners bowed and curistied each other the onlookers clapped. It was about time to see the Queen dance!

"Let's see the Queen Dance with her partner alone!" Someone cried out. Clapping and cheering egged them on, and the crowd around them parted to give them the floor. Mark blinked a few times and looked to the Conductor, who gave him the thumbs up. Mark then looked to Elsa. "Want to go another round, my Queen?" He asked softly, offering her a bow as his armor began to glow brightly again, eliciting gasps of awe and admiration from the crowd.

"I think we'll find out with this next dance." Marion said calmly. "We'll know as it ends." She added softly before crossing her arms and being quiet.

Elsa felt herself blush slightly, but thankfully it was not noticed execept by Mark alone. She cast her glance towards the conductor, a smile on her face. But when someone said alone, just the two of them, it had to be a special song, A song... with a proper beat, not a waltz or foxtrot, but more... active ? More how she felt right then really. She nodded, taking Marks hand as he bowed to her. "Yes." she said simply, yes, another round indeed.

Georgina watched, and heard as the conductor got the music back into gear, the music felt... weird, oddly the type of music Georgina found herself sometimes humming when fighting down groups of templars in the kingdom. It felt oddly right for the occasion. Nice, upbeat, smooth, yet ingrovating. An energetic type of music for a ball of a sort. As she watched Elsa and Mark get back onto the ice dance floor, alone, she heard the murmurs of awe as Marks armor glittered brightly along its edges in bronze. The Assassin nodded "Yes" she said softly as the music started and the two started dancing, "We will know... before it ends."

Mark merely closed his eyes, letting the music guide his body and arms, quickly spinning and moving with Elsa in his arms. Even the occasional lift was in order it seemed, his strong arms completing each with no difficulty at all. As the music continued, his armor glowed brighter and brighter, and Mark's movements with Elsa became more and more fluid.

More and more... close. Intimate.

The song reached a crescendo and Mark sped up, making sure Elsa could do the same as they waltzed across the courtyard to and fro with ease and grace.

Elsa felt the music go through her, a lot like how Matthew's blizzards directed her movements, she tried to remember exactly how matthew 'danced' and for a brief heartbeat thought to mimic his movements, but all those thoughts disappeared as the music pulled her, and also Marks hands, she saw his eyes were closed as they danced, they moved so perfectly, in time with each other as if they were fighting off Templars, yet, they were simply dancing. But the music was perfect. As the music sped up, Marks armor got brighter as their movements got more and more fluid and smooth.

It was getting hard in fact, for the observers to watch as the conductor set the pace so perfectly, the orcrestra in perfect tune kept a steady active pace, and yet, as the music went on, it neared midnight ever so closely as the Queen and her Assassin danced so perfectly in time to both each other, and the music. Georgina watched, as did Snowfeather, the latter of whom, with a plateful and mouthful of food, stared slackjawed, as Elsa and Mark danced. Well, she was slackjawed until Blackmane closed her mouth "Chew it before opening your mouth sis" Blackmane hissed softly to her twin.

The only thought however on Snowfeather's mind was, why was Mark dancing with Elsa ?

Why indeed? Why would a cold-blooded killer be dancing with the queen of Arendelle? Why would one of the last of a dying family be dancing with the one whose family his used to protect? Why, why, why? Mark's heart-beat became faster as the song reached its climax, and he began to twirl Elsa rapidly, opening his eyes as he did so. The Music reached its height, and so did the glowing of his armor, the bronze color blazing brightly like an LED light bulb on full blast.

When the Music stopped suddenly, so did the dance, and so did the glowing of Mark's armor as he caught Elsa, stopping everything for a split second; their lips were inches apart.

And now, it was Mark who was hesitating...

Everything stopped, for a brief moment everyone thought Mark had dropped Elsa to the ice, but no, they were inches apart. Elsa could feel that Mark was unsure of what to do. Gently she lifted her left hand to his cheek. His back was to the conductor as she ran her fingers through Marks beard her gaze went towards the conductor briefly who nodded, and started a slow yet moving tune as Elsa said to Mark softly. "Is something wrong ?"

Very briefly just off the ice, as if floating, Elena appeared, and just as quickly she disappeared.

Then the music stopped again; Elena's presence screamed at the back of Mark's mind, but he couldn't discern the words. He was too lost in the moment. His lips parted slowly. Everything was silent. "Elsa... I... " He gulped hard. He knew what he wanted to do...but did Elsa want it as well? Would she comply? Would she be shocked?

Slowly he moved forward, their lips merely an inch apart as Mark began to hesitate again; seemingly unable to bring himself to do it. Again Elena appeared, this time just behind Mark, floating around the two unseen by all but Mark. The urge grew stronger, yet again Mark was too lost to do anything.

Elsa stared at Mark, his brown eyes pretty much sucking her in, she was focused on him, and him alone. "Yes ?" Their lips were an inch apart, Ok, what now ? Was she scared, no, nervous maybe, shocked, possibly, did she want it... well that was the ultimate question, when she was without Mark she felt alone, for seven months he was away, working on their necklaces.

Thinking of those same necklaces something then happened that nither of them expected. A sudden and loud and clearly heard by those in the icerink courtyard, a clear as a bell _CLICK_ as their necklaces locked together. A brief golden line passed by Mark. a soft chirp of laughter as well from Elena. How else could he properly protect the Heart of the Mountain ?

Mark's eyes fluttered as the click pulsed throught the courtyard, bringing him back to reality as he finally closed that distance. One inch, becoming nothing as Mark's lips met Elsa's gently, his eyes closing once again as he embraced her in a way more intimate than he ever thought he'd achieve with anyone, let alone her.

Marion smiled. The answer as to why Mark was here was finally answered, and it was clear to everyone present. Even Ulnaus, who was notorious for ruining moments, was silent, not even preening his feathers. The massive bird simply stared

Then it began: The slow clap.

When Marks lips touched hers all worries and cares disappeared, Yes, she wanted to kiss him for as long as she remembered. But, in private ? Wait no, heck with it. the gentle kiss was close to becoming a full on making out had the conductor not started up the music once more to a merry tune as the people in the courtyard, even the duke and his men, started to clap.

It was the clapping that got her attention. She felt a blush start to burn her cheeks, but Mark was kissing her and she was kissing him, she was in his arms dangitall! She did not care at that point who saw her with him. but for a brief moment she wished in her heart that her mother was there as she returned the kiss, all worries gone.

Snowfeather smiled and stood next to Georgina, who also smiled, Marion, who was grinning like a total goof under her hood, they knew then the exact reason Mark was in Arendelle.

He was _home_

"Well what would be the odds of that" Snowfeather mused softly as Mark set Elsa back on her feet from the kiss and she hugged him amid the cheering crowd "Mark, a cold-blooded killer, having in his arms, the Queen of the kingdom he was born within, what would be the odds ?"

Mark eventually broke the kiss, panting as he blushed hard; only Elsa close enough to see it. "S-sorry... I... just... Had to." he said softly, embarrassed. Their necklaces were still connected.

Marion giggled at her Brother's awkwardness. Hell, if she'd done that to someone of such a high social standing, she'd act the same way! "It seems... that the Wolfe's have finally returned to their true den..." she whispered before slinking off to write a letter to their mother stating that they were safe and sound. And that they were finally home.

Elsa shook her head as Mark spoke her hands going to his face, stuttering as he was so embarrassed at what he just did, "Its OK, its alright, I understand, I..." She herself faltered as she realised just as he did, their necklaces were connected, holding them close, but why ? It didn't matter, Elsa looked almost longingly into Marks eyes, softly she said "Can... you meet me, in my room, after the fireworks ?"

As she said the word fireworks, the clock in the kingdom struck midnight, the fireworks were to begin! She was to say a few words wasn't she ? Oh icicles what to do then ? Their necklaces were connected, hell she was still in Marks arms holding his face It was then Elsa felt the briefest of wind as their necklaces parted, hers coming gently to rest directly above the neckline of her dress.

Mark's hands gently went up to her arms, and he gently held the eye contact with her before nodding. "As you wish, Elsa..." he said before looking down, instead of up at the fireworks. The necklaces... how? How were they connected? He knew they were supposed to do that; he's the one who made the bloody things, but... how? He didn't do it...

After an awkward second he cleared his throat and undid the connection between the necklaces before lifting his head to watch the fireworks with Elsa, his hand sliding down her arm to hold her own hand gently, fingers entwined with hers.

Nobody noticed as 'Diana' snuck away to some important business execept for one person, Georgina. She knew the truth. Turning to Snowfeather the dark haired beauty spoke softly, yet heard clearly through the fireworks exploding far above. "I take my leave for the night, I shall begin recruiting at first light. We have some important work to do concerning messenger men I assume ?" She had no idea of what Elsa was doing concerning Weselton.

Elsa watched the fireworks, thankful for once that it was Anna that gave the announcement at the time, maybe Anna could speak more at events ? It didn't matter, what mattered was that Elsa had kissed Mark, it was unexpected, but even then, she relished the feeling, Mark, her friend her teacher, and she had no idea of the rumors floating around the kingdom of the two of them. Well, it was pretty much confirmed anyhow that Elsa had pretty much claimed Mark, or was it the other way around ? Either way, many single ladies in the kingdom were left with a one sided love.

But that did not matter. Not now, not ever. At that moment, with her fingers entwined with Marks own Elsa watched the fireworks. Yes, tonight was going to be fun, Already, somehow, she felt that she was going to find exactly what she was looking for. But, somehow she felt as if she already had found what she was looking for. A brief thought had entered her mind, did she seek love ? Well, she wasn't sure anymore. For all she knew, deep down in her heart, her mother would be proud. But it was a sudden brief flash off the courtyard where she thought she saw her mother that made her wonder if her mother even was alive to begin with, that she was simply captured.

Should she look for her mother ?

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Elsa's private library**

 **A few moments later**

It didn't take long for Diana to be noticed as missing, and nothing was unseen from Blackmane, she was the keeper of many secrets, and knew how to find others secrets. But she never pried for them, merely deduced, or surmised, or was told expleictily to keep a secret. If asked to keep a secret, Blackmane could keep said secret until her death. Which was good because she was on her second or third of nine lives. then again a cat could live very long indeed. The library door was open and a fire burned brightly within it as Blackmane quietly stepped into the room. Seeing that none was there, yet, aside from a servant stacking some wood near the fireplace.

Blackmane smiled to herself as she remembered this room, the first time in six generations since she had been inside of it. The last time she was there Queen Marissa had made the Assassin's offical members of Arendelle. the unseen protectors whereas the Wolfe Manor was their base at the time. Blackmane recalled her orders then, Marissa had made a story for her firstborn son, Blackmane had watched over the queen and her husband for a year as requested, as needed actually at the time. After all at the time she was Swordsworn to Marissa to protect her for twelve years.

But it was watching Marissa, and her husband, Joseph, nurture and bear a child, a boy. Marissa knew the law as did her husband, the boy, naturally Blackmane mused, grew up like his brothers, and joined the Arendelle army. had families, or in one case was stillborn before the Crown Princess, Jennifer II was born. It was then that Blackmane rememrbered her first true clash with the Wolfe Clan of Arendelle

Ellowyn Wolfe, the direct decendant of Second Wolfe, and then current head of the clan but not by choice. Blackmane was never in the know as she remembered it all before her like a home movie. More and more memories coming to play so to speak. She was shaken out of her memories by the arrival of someone, a hooded woman, the new recruit, Diana. Blackmane remained unseen. using the firelight, her natural robes colors of many different dark shades of grey, green, blue and red; as well as the shadows in the room to remain unseen.

Diana paused for a second as she stood in the doorway, making sure she'd not been followed before closing the door and lowering her hood gently, running her fingers through her bangs to move them from her eyes. She let out a small, short breath and took from her inner coat pocket a diary of sorts, and a pen. She sat at the table Mark frequented on his trips to this Library and opened to a fresh page, which she ever so gently tore from the book before beginning to write.

 _Dear Mama..._

 _I apologize for the infrequency of these letters again, but Mark and Georgina keep pushing me to do more contracts. It's Queen Elsa's birthday Party this whole week...and, well, you'll never guess. Mark kissed her! She kissed him back, even! It finally feels like the Wolfe's are home again._

She sighed and giggled sofly, knowing just how her mother would react to reading this: Absolutely freak out, then insist upon having Mark and Elsa come over to England for a reunion, Marriage, etc. Knowing that her and Mark's mother would immediately insist upon having her only son marry anyone, let alone the Queen of Arendelle, even after they've only shared one kiss, was just over the top, but...it was their mother alright.

She picked up her pen and tapped her chin, thinking of what to write next.

Blackmane never moved from her spot, standing still as a statue, yet watching everything carefully as Marion wrote a letter, but to whom ? Blackmane could keep a secret but she did not want to startle the young Recruit and give the poor woman a heart attack, so instead she used her own magics and knocked on the door lightly, throwing her voice at the same time asking if she could enter when she was already in there before stepping into view behind Marion.

Softly speaking Blackmane simply said "I remember you..." Though Snowfeather knew more. Blackmane got the gist of it, occasional letters to Mark, who was in their care at the time. More then just occasional, biweekly letters, always ingraved with a M on the envelope. No return address, nothing. She stepped around the table, Allowing Diana to take in the dark multicolored robed woman in. Yes, Blackmane remembered a girl, fleeing Arendelle with Idun's help. But... the only way to be sure...

Diana hardly reacted to the knock on the door, grunting softly. She then looked to Blackmane, eyes with a minorly confused look to them as she realized that it was Blackmane, not Snowfeather. Oops... caught her with her hood down. "Don't... Don't tell Mark..." She said softly. "He might kill someone if he found out I was here." she said.

The Handwriting on the letter would look similar to that which was sent to Mark all the time while he was in Cairo with Snowfeather and Blackmane, just neater and cleaner. Her face resembled Mark's, resembled her mother's almost perfectly. Charity Wolfe; a beautiful maiden of noble standing and liniage, had given birth to what seemed like a long lost twin of herself, just the eyes and hair color of her brother and Father.

Blackmane smiled, lowering her own hood she herself Snowfeathers younger yet sometimes much less boneheaded twin sister. It wasn't easy to tell the two apart, if at all. And yet. well, it was easy to get mistaken, the only thing that really set the two apart were the fact that they wore their hoods in different shades. Whereas Snowfeather predominiately wore white or silver or similar light colors, Blackmane was almost constantly in dark multicolors. "You can rest assured, that your secret is safe with me." She said

She stepped towards the table, and as if from its own will a chair slid out and Blackmane sat down. Giving a soft look to Marion she said softly "Earlier this year your brother was... distrought about something concerning a names list. I wont go into detail as only Snowfeather told me who was on it, both of my nieces. Her daughters. Along with you, and him." She sighed, Serena and her twin sister Serenity were Snowfeathers twin girls. High ranked assassins in the order yet, targets of a strong templar plot.

"Your brother, from what I hear, left the den at the time, in such strength the building rattled quite a bit. But later that evening, he seemed... calmer" Blackmane's bright grey eyes seemed to sparkle, "I assume it was your doing in some way ?"

She shook her head at the question. "I hadn't arrived until a few days ago, actually. When he and Elsa liberated Malo District." she said calmly. "He... I think he's been good at calming down rather quickly. He mentioned that Snowfeather came by and talked to him... maybe she had something to do with his calming down so quickly." She said softly, looking off to the side.

"Perhaps, she did have more skill with that." Blackmane smiled remembering Marks first week in Cairo, he wouldn't let go of Snowfeather at all, the poor boy was, at the time, a complete wreck, couldn't even be left alone after what happened to his parents and sister in Arendelle. And he never knew, still didn't and wouldn't know, that his sister and mother were both alive and well. Of course living and working in a whorehouse was not exactly how one could expect 'alive and well' to work out.

It wasn't going to be easy, keeping a secret like this, the only question was, how long was she to keep it ? So Blackmane asked, somewhat bluntly at that. "Who else knows that you are here ?" Blackmane had no idea that only Georgina knew, or how the Princess knew to begin with for that matter.

Marion thought for a while, before shrugging. "Besides Georgina, no one knows I'm here, except my Mother, of course." She said calmly. "Georgina only knows... well... she measured me for the coat... and um ...knew I was lying about my name..." she said calmly, hand going to her neck where the measuring-tape had been wrapped around to "measure" her neck while Georgina made 'Small talk' with the new recruit.

She then sighed. "If you can manage to keep the secret until I'm ready to confess to Mark, that'd be great... He mustn't know I'm here yet." She repeated.

"Your secret is safe with me" Blackmane said with a smile. Georgina was rather blunt when it came to small talk, a dark eyebrow raised slightly at the mere thought of Georgina choking somebody. "Well... wasn't expecting that one" Blackmane mused thoughtfully, she'd have to talk to the Princess of China at some point. "Either way Mark nor my own sister will know of your secret whatsoever until you decide when to tell any of them yourself, it is your secret, and therefore your duty to pick the right time and place to tell it. I wont do that for you." She smiled and relaxed "Besides, If your brother were to find out you were alive, but somewhere. which I am sure he that does know that you are alive, because of... the letters ? Nevertheless, he does not know that you are in fact here, in Arendelle."

She went thoughtfully quiet then for a long moment. Finally she said. "Come dawn there aere a few things I will need your help with, you'll have to tell Georgina the Mentor requested your help, its... somewhat personal to us both." She meant the buiral vaults and the royal cemetary. That and a letter had arrived that day shortly before the party of a shipment arriving for supplies before moving inland towards Sweden

Finally Blackmane asked. "What name are you using to get around ? Surely not your true name; if that got out, no telling what could occur should Mark, or... _them_ would react or do, or try."

Diana nodded to the request. "I would be honored, Mentor." she said, smiling. she chuckled as she was asked what her fake name was. "I am going by Diana." she said calmly. "If Mark found out, he'd probably strangle the Duke where he stood in excitement and anger for not being told. If ithey/i found out... it'd be... _that_ all over again." she shuddered, more easilly accepting the memory than her older brother did.

Blackmane's attention focused on Marion carefully when the girl shuddered at a memory. "It would be what over again ?" Apparently Blackmane was not exactly in the know concerning first why Mark lived with them in Egypt, and why Marion was going under a fake name and living in England with the Icewraith, of course Tiri had yet to shatter, or eat a roman candle, yet.

"With all due respect... ask your twin." Marion stated bluntly, looking away as she said it, shuddering again as she stood, turning away and walking to a nearby window. It was still painful for her, but unlike her brother, she did not supress it. But...unlike her brother, she didn't have the drive to be the best, either; to prevent another atrocity like that happening to anyone but his enemies.

Each had their way of coping. Mark used it as fuel for his rage against the Templars while simultaniously repressing it, while Marion let it come up from time to time as a sort of therapy, so that she could get over the event easier. After all... watching your entire clan get slaughtered inside of a day minus your immediate family takes a toll; especially on young children.

Blackmane noddeed at the answer. "Fair enough. I wont ask ever again, either to you you or to her, or to him." Meaning her brother Mark. She watched as the fireworks exploded far above, lighting the fjords in two directions before soon slowing. It was nearing the end of the first party. "Would you like me to send this on its way ?" She meant the letter to Marions mother. Blackmane herself had a letter she too wanted to send, but to Tiri, the brothel was ready for its new 'owner' "I have a letter that goes to the same place, but to a different person there."

"I... I need to finish the letter first. Can you give me a few minutes? I'll meet you somewhere." Marion said softly, turning and sitting back down in the chair. She yawned and kept writing as the fireworks boomed off in the distance.

"Very well, when you are ready to send this on its way, I will be at my den in the marketplace district" Blackmane said, she stood from the table, as she passed Marion she patted the young Wolfe on the shoulder, "Get some rest, you need it, I will see you in the morning." She said softly, quietly opening the door and stepping out into the hall closing it behind her, she never saw Elsa and Mark down the hall at the foot of the stairs.

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Elsa's bedroom**

 **A moment later**

It took but a few moments as the grand fanale went off after a good ten or so minutes. Elsa pretty much all but dragged Mark with her, of course she had to bid goodnight to many families in the courtyard as they started to filter out. the dancing was amazing, she'd never forget it, if ever. But what was more, infact better was the fact that there was something else on her mind at the time. Something of why she wanted Mark with her in her room, just the two of them, alone.

It was simple really. She wanted to show Mark something important.

But she did not know just how important what she was about to show her dear friend, and possibly her huband in the future... _wait Elsa why are you thinking like that girl ? You just kissed him... yeah but I've known him more then a year to want to marry after a first meeting_ Elsa mentally debated with herself. Sure she had known Mark for well over a year, if more. But she did just kiss the guy that night, well, he kissed her but still. why was she suddenly thinking of marriage ? With a quick shake of her head she pretty much dragged Mark to her bedroom door and looked both ways before opening it and pulling him inside and closing the door behind them. None of the staff knew what she was doing, nor why Mark was with her, but they asked no questions.

Mark was still in a half-daze from the kiss, and from being dragged through the castle so quickly. After a second he shook his head to wake himself from the daze and he looked to Elsa. It was only then that the impact of what he'd done hit him, and he coughed hard. He'd just kissed the Queen! Oh man... what was he thinking? Sure she kissed him back but... seriously? Kissing the Queen? Oh man...

Mark coughed a few more times. "Give... give me a minute." He said between coughing fits. He shook his head and held his jaw.

"I... I'm sorry... back there, I don't know what came over me... I just..." He was fumbling with his words, something he rarely, if ever did at all. His cheeks blazed red, and the glowing lines were erratic on his armor, showing distress and confusion.

Elsa very nearly dragged Mark dead into her door frame itself. But thankfully she managed to keep him in one piece and not damage eithetr him or the castle, heaven knew what would happen with that armor at full strength! But it didn't matter, she nodded when he asked for a moment and went over to her bedside table. Opening it she pulled out her journal and opened it, going back to Mark as she went through the pages, _Where was it ? Aha! Found it!_ Elsa thought coming to a page she had drawn a few months before. Why she was thinking of it now of all days she couldn't explain, but, she had to tell someone about it!

She hled the journal to Mark She smiled, "Its alright, I understand, I... it... felt oddly right. You know, like, maybe it's to be or something ?" Hey, she was Queen, she knew Mark a year or so now, so... yeah she could marry him... soonish ? _Stopit stupid, dont think of marrige yet!_ She took a deep breath and held the page open for him to see "Do you recognise anyone in these ?" She asked as she handed the journal to him.

The page showed three different scenes. The first of a egg of some form, so perfectly drawn as if it was from memory or something else entirely. encased in ice and kept hidden for ages it seemed, showing no signs of age yet, crystal clear was Elsa's drawing. The scond scene was of a young girl similar to Elsa herself, only underfed and very scared, kept in a prison cell. The third and final scene showed a older woman caring for the young girl.

Mark blinked as she smiled at him, quieting himself down easilly enough as he smiled and nodded. "Y-Yea... I think I know what you mean." he said. _No you don't, you fool. I dunno...maybe you do? Does this mean...nah_ He blinked and looked to the journal, taking it, his finger brushing against hers briefly as he took it from her and looked at the drawings she wanted to show him.

His eyebrows furrowed as he looked at the pictures. Something was... odd about the young girl. He blinked a few times, and as he did, something was... off about his eyes. They seemed more, preadtory. In the sense that they made Ulnaus seem like a Puppy. His pupils had changed. Becoming repilian slits for a second while his eyes blazed bronze. He then blinked and it was gone; the glow, the pupils, everything about his eyes aside from their usual deepness.

"This... woman in the last picture... she looks surprisingly like your mother." He said calmly. Something screamed for him to look deeper at the image of the young girl, a sudden inner rage that was quickly fading-no... falling back asleep.

He tapped on the third picture. "Don't you think? She's got the same general... everything, really, from what I've seen in the paintings."

Elsa nodded "I thought that too, But Momma died ten years ago, over ten years ago." Elsa crossed her arms, rubbing and seemingly favoring her right arm and elbow, though Mark by that point knew why exactly. Or so he might have known, Elsa never told anyone aside from Anna about where she got the scars on her hand and arm. Mark only saw so much. "Why would I draw her, so perfectly, as if I just saw her, in my journal ?" It confused Elsa to no end, there was something strangely confusing about the child too. "There's something about this, but what it is I dont know. Something about this... thing in ice, this child, and maybe my Mother too."

She went to her bed and sat down on it, letting out a deep breath "Its all so confusing" She said "I drew that seven months ago, all three of those pictures. I dreamed about them. Oddly, it felt so real. Its weird. scary even really. It was as if I was there, everything felt so real it... its like my mother is still alive, tending to a child somewhere in a cell. And then before seeing her and the child I'm seeing a egglike thing encased in ice! What does it mean ?"

Then she remembered the first journal, the one Snowfeather refused to read when she first arrived. Digging the thing out of her bedside stand she opened it, there was a blank page in the front of it. It showed a map, maybe.

Maybe everything could make sense in the morning ?

 **20 December 2051**

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Castle Dining Room**

 **About seven hours later**

The night soon passed, and the first full day of festivies was to begin as soon as breakfast was over. Residents and citizens were already starting to gather in the couryard for the morning start to the weeklong party. Morning however found Elsa wide awake in the dining room, a map of Arendelle spread on the table, a good sized mug of hot cocoa with lavender was within her reach at all times as Kai stood nearby with a pot of the foul smelling drink. Kai of course was trying to tell Elsa something, but she was intent on finding something that her mother had left for her to find in a set pattern. Her own journal she let Mark have that night to study the pictures in it, those three she showed him, why did she draw them ? What importence were they to either of them ? Why those three pictures ? It didn't matter.

"Did you say something Kai ?" Elsa asked looking over the map of the kingdom carefully.

"Yes, a messenger arrived, asking for you. From a country far from here, they require supplies, and also leave to transport some items through the kingdom." Kai replied.

"What kind of items ?" Elsa asked

"I was not told." Kai replied "When I asked, the answer I was given was that it was need to know information. And until the messenger spoke to you, I was not to know."

"Where is the messenger now ?" Elsa asked

"The two assassins have him with them now" Kai replied, meaning either the Twins, Snowfeather and Blackmane, which was not a possiblty because Blackmane was sound asleep in the kitchen at that moment, Elsa could see the multicolored robe hung up where the chef normally hung his own coat. The other two possiblities were Georgina and Diana. Which oddly was the correct assumption. For the most part. "In your study, I recall Mark saying he'd meet you in the library as well."

"Thankyou Kai, I will go find Mark first, delay the messenger for me a bit." Kai nodded and set the pictre of hot cocoa on the table as Elsa took her mug of hot chocolate with her and went to her mothers bedroom, looking both ways before entering and closing the door behind her and then entering her mothers hidden library.

She saw Mark in there already, pouring over books once anew. "Find anything new ?" She asked him softly, offering her hot cocoa to him to have a sip.

Mark shook his head, and sighed, leaning back as he closed the book. "Nothing. Nothing referring to an egg covered in ice anywhere. But it seems so familiar... doesn't it?" he said, looking to Elsa. For a second his eyes had that predatory glare to them before he blinked and the returned to normal again. He'd gotten a decent amount of sleep, and looked well rested; hence his bed-head, which he realized was indeed existent and quickly he used the claws of his gauntlet to comb his hair down.

He sighed. "What can I do for you, Elsa?" he asked; obviously she was here for more than info on what he'd studied for the past five hours straight.

"It does, it... its like I've seen before somewhere. like... I hid it myself or something. Its weird." She sighed a soft smile on her face. "There's a messenger from a country, Kai says the man has a strange accent. He wont tell Kai anything either, Georgina and Diana are with him now in the study downstairs. I was wondering if you'd like to be along for this meeting ? Something tells me I will need all the advice I can get, its not the Dukes man though. Its someone else." Elsa explained. A messenger with a strange accent, could only mean Britian or similar such countries.

"I also looked more over the map. There's really nothing in the Wolfe district the Templars might want, its empty, maybe a patrol or two trying to keep back something" She explained what she had found through her mothers journal, "I think I know where to look for the first ... statue" She said then.

But first thing was first, before even treating the guests to the weeklong party, she had to treat with a messenger from somewhere.

Finally she asked seeing his bedhead, Her own hair unbraided and somewhat messy. "Did you sleep well ?" She sure did, all she could think about was him, their dancing, their kiss. the entire kingdom happy that she seemingly had found someone who she could love.

Mark nodded. "I see. Well then, let's see what our guest wants, shall we?" He offered, gesturing to the door before leading the way himself; figuring he knew where he was being held while they waited for Elsa. "I did sleep well, thanks. You look well rested as well, Elsa. Pray tell me why?" he asked calmly, looking to Elsa as he rounded a corner.

As he held the door open for her and they stepped into her mothers bedroom she paused quickly and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. It wasn't a slap per sei, yet it could be felt as one. "Do I really have to answer that ?" She asked, somewhat coyly yet it made sense. She really just dreamed about him. Oddly her mother and the child her mother cared for too. But it wasn't important, she had to focus on the then and there. Memories could wait a little bit. She had a job to do.

Entering the hallway from her mothers bedroom she looked again both ways, a habit really, nobody truly came up there except the castle staff, and in recent events, one could not be too careful. "From what Kai told me" Elsa said as she locked the door behind them with a snowflake lock. "the man sounds like Diana, where is she from exactly to have such an accent ?"

The messenger was in fact a representative of a powerful shipping company based in London. The task in question at that time was lodging, and leave to transport certain items of extreme value through the kingdom to get to Oslo, and then from there to Stockholm Sweden. Both sides of things was tricky, but getting through Arendelle was only step one.

But then again, when it came to money, things got funny very quickly.

Mark's cheeks burned red for a few seconds after she pecked his cheek. "I...I guess not, Elsa." He said calmly. "If he sounds like Diana then he is from England or Therabouts." He said calmly. "I'll be able to better tell once I've heard him, or Diana can tell us." He said calmly.

Mark had already contacted his old friend in the CIA about needing weapons for the Assassin's here in Arendelle, and secretely he hoped that this was it. He wasn't sure though, and summoned his armor just in case.

Elsa smiled, seeing his cheecks go beet red for a few seconds. "It was because of last night actually, us, dancing, showing you the pictures in my journal. When you left to go to bed, I went right to sleep." She hadn't even bothered to change either! Just zonked out, after all it was well past midnight at the time. As they walked the halls to the grand centeral huge staircase she explained how she felt. It was all because of him. For once it her life she felt safer then even in his arms.

"Yes, perhaps Diana can help or tell us exactly where he hails." As they arrived at the study door a guard opened it and announced their arrival, There were three people inside the study, one of them a man, in fact the only one who was male, was standing by the fireplace, which was brightly lit. The other two, both women, were standing not far away. One of them had her hood down, The other did not. Then again all new recruits had their hoods up the first six ranks to begin with. But with Georgina now in charge of the Roughwater District Den she had advanced up the ranks fairly quickly.

But the male in the room, the only man, both carefully watched yet well respected, was clearly an Englishman of some form. Judging by his stature alone he was used to such things yet also quite aloof himself.

Mark looked the Englishman up and down quickly as he turned around to look upon the Queen and her escort. "Greetings. What business do you have in Arendelle?" Mark asked calmly; he just needed to get the man to speak; he'd know by voice tone alone if he had ill intentions for the Kingdom of Arendelle. Mark didn't bother raising his hood, but his eyes glowed as he used his Eagle Vision to search the man visually without moving. His armor glowed slightly and his mouth was crook'd down at the corners, a small intimidation tactic he picked up whilst in the CIA.

The Englishman smiled. Seeing Mark with Elsa of all people, he'd heard of him, and of her, because of one in that room with them at that moment. "Samuel Green, London Assassini." He said in greeting, holding out his hand to shake with Mark, revealing his own hidden blades on his arm. "I was sent by the Company to request permision to transport several important items from London to Stockholm. Naturally on the route Arendelle was listed. I was selected because of the enemy influence in this area."

Georgina watched the man, Green, carefully, her own eagle vision working clearly as the man spoke, he appeared in sky blue to her, an ally. Yes, there was no denying that. Unless he was a triple agent, when things just got a little haywire, which thankfully, for the moment, he was not such a thing. Green continued speaking, turning his gaze towards Elsa "I trust I can have your permission Madam ?"

Elsa wanted to give permission, yet, something nagged at her. "What exactly will be crossing my borders and transported through my home ?" She asked, not exactly blunt or mean, just plain curious.

Green must have been expecting such thing as he replied, "A few cases of Gold Bullion, plus some artefacts unknown to the Company. One of the artefacts is the Shroud of Eden. I was told it'd be needed here." He cast his glance towards Mark as he spoke, but it was not him who sent it, it was in fact Blackmane who sent that notice.

Mark was hesitant until he saw the blades under the man's wrists. He shook his hand firmly. "Mark Wolfe, Arendelle Assassin. London,.. didn't expect the England Assassin's to grace us with a London member, but your presence is welcome." He said with a rather admirable tone to his voice. He froze as he heard about the Shroud of Eden. Blinking a few times he looked to Elsa, then back to Samuel.

"Did... did your advisor tell you why it would be needed here?" He asked, confused.

"No" Green replied, "I was only told it would be needed here, but not for what, only to bring the Shroud here; She would not tell me why, only of who to give it to" She, Green said, ishe/i That got Elsa's undevided attention, who was this, She he referred to ? His gaze however locked on Elsa, which made her slightly nervous, when Mark looked at her she just shrugged, the hell was a Shroud of Eden ?

So Elsa then asked "Who is... she ?"

"My den master, and mentor of the London Assassin branches" Green replied he stepped over to the table that held a chest upon it. Speaking as he unlocked it. "I was told explictly to take the Shroud, and ensure it was given to the Queen of Arendelle. I ... assume that is you Madam ?" He said looking to Elsa

"Yes, I am the Queen of Arendelle, I am Elsa." Elsa replied after giving a careful thought over how to reply. "Why ?"


	21. Seqeunce 5 Memory 5

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 5**_

 _ **Memory 5: When It Comes to Money part 2**_

 **20 December 2051**

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Castle Study**

 **Just after breakfast**

Samuel green smiled, he had a lot of information to tell about the Shroud, and why it was asked to be taken to Arendelle and kept there. "There is a lot to tell, it is said it can restore life, but I have never seen it done, It was hidden under the Tower of London for generations. I was asked out of all in my brotherhood group directly to come here myself as I have had the most contact with the Shroud" He went on to explain what it could and was reportedly able to do.

But the only problem missing was, who was the _she_ that requested it sent to Arendelle, and why ?

"Pray tell me, what are they doing in Stockholm that they need these materials? The last I heard from the Assassin's down there was that they had something big planned." Mark interjected curiously, his hands behind his back as he tilted his head slightly. His armor continued to glow dimly from being in the presence of the Shroud. Heck, the last thing he heard from the Assassins in Stockholm was from almost two years ago; as far as he knew, they'd either been pushed out of the region or had gone dark.

It appears that they went dark, so dark that even his sources couldn't trace anything. Of course, Mark didn't possess the best sources; but those he had were trustworthy, and couldn't be bought out.

"I dont know. Den Master Timothy wont send any of our brothers to Stockholm nomatter what we try to figure out." Green replied truthfully. "All I know is I'm incharge of the British escort to transport the money and supplies to Stockholm. I was requested because of the Shroud, and where to take it was along the route."

"But you still did not answer the Queens question" Georgina spoke up softly from her place by the map on the table. "Who is the woman that said to bring the Shroud to us here ?"

"I wish I knew, all our orders from Her are in written form only, only a symbol is Her name" He took the letter from the box and held it towards Elsa and Mark to take. The symbol was an Assassin symbol, in the Arendelle colors. But it was not Elsa's own crest either.

Mark gritted his teeth. It seemed that Samuel had less info than what was standard to send Members of the order out on a mission with. When Samuel handed over the letter, Mark snatched it quickly, looking over it. The crest was familiar; he'd seen it in his studies of Arendelle's recent history. It was the crest of Elsa's mother, Idun. He opened it and read it quickly.

 _To whom it may concern._

 _It is of the utmost importance that the Shroud of Eden be transported to Arendelle with your next shipment to Stockholm; time is short and it must be done as soon as possible. The Queen will know what to do when the time is right._

The letter ended with the same emblem that sealed the letter, and Mark bit his lower lip calmly as he reread it again, looking for a sort of code. He held it up to the sunlight, to the fire light, used Eagle Vision, nothing. There was nothing there that would indicate a code or anything of the sort. It was an ordinary letter.

But it couldn't be, could it? "Why... is this crest, of all things, here?" Mark asked, pointing to the crest that acted as the signiture.

"I dont recognise it, its the Assassin pattern yes, its in Arendelle's colors but... I do not recognise this flower. it is not a Crocus." Elsa said gently taking the letter from Mark and reading it over. Time was short... She was briefly reminded of Illitains words, no time to explain anything. the fact that she would know what to do when the time was right. Why her ?

So many questions.

"It is how we receive all our orders from outside London, Templar influence is stronger the further north we tread" Samuel replied to Mark. "As far as I am aware, Arendelle is one of the few Assassin holdouts we were able to find. Master Timothy requested I make contact as well. You have my aid as long as you need it. But I must return to the iRose/i as quickly as I can with the permission to transport the supplies through Arendelle."

"There is still a lot of Ditrcts within this kingdom that have strong Templar influence. Tell us your planned route. And we'll ensure it is cleared" Georgina said as Elsa nodded and went over to the desk. Getting some paper she wrote dont a quick letter.

 _To whom it may concern._

 _This letter is to signify approval and permission granted to travel and transport through Arendelle supplies and people as needed insofar as no hostility is between those traveling through, and those who reside within the kingdom._

Elsa signed the letter with her crest seal. Standing from the desk she stepped over to Samuel. holding the letter "Take this to the man who has you in his employ, As long as no fighting occurs between the British you escort with your men, and my own kingdom guards occurs, this letter ensures my permission has been given."

Once Samuel gave the rout that he and his men would take through Arendelle, Mark nodded and clicked his tongue a few times, the clicks echoing in the room. Thankfully a window was opened. The clicks were responded to by a shrill shriek, and the fluttering of feathers. Ulnaus would fly forth, and mark Districts for immediate liberation. "I suggest heading along your path in about an hours time, to make sure our brothers and sisters have cleared the route adequately enough for you to pass through unscathed." he said calmly.

He looked to Elsa; should he tell her who the crest belonged to? No... not in the presence of others. He'd have to do it in private. "My Queen, if I could have a word with you in private after this is settled, it'd be appreciated." he added.

Thankfully most of the route itself was in mostly liberated districts. But the most heavier templar laden and yet to be liberated districts were somewhat problematic. Elsa noticed that Samuel seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as she handed over the letter, her permission, in a way, but it was extremely limited. It felt weird really. She did not fully trust this man yet, he was an Assassin. And a crest in Arendelle colors, one she did not recognise. A pretender to the throne ? The letter did not mention her directly, only saying the Queen, her really, would know what to do. That left her with more questions then answers as Samuel took his leave.

Georgina stepped up next to her as the door was left open, watching Samuel's retreating back. "Follow him, make sure he is what he says he is." _Something tells me he might not be who he really is_ Elsa said, Georgina nodded and stepped from the study, stepping into a side hall without a sound and quickly disappearing. Elsa did not notice that Diana remained in the room in the shadows.

During the entire chat with the London Assassin, Elsa never knew Diana was there with them.

She took a deep breath as Kai stepped into the study, "Yes Kai ?"

"My lady, the guests await you in the courtyard for the first full day of the festival" Elsa smiled, that night was her offical birthday dinner with the kingdom as a whjole, while the next day was just her and Anna, and Mark, and the others she was close to. But tonight was the night with the Kingdom!

"Thank you Kai, we will be out in a moment." Elsa replied, Kai nodded and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him as he left. Elsa turned to Mark, "You recognised something from that man did you not ? Something that felt off ?" She too had seen his Hidden Blades, but... why today of all days ?

Mark didn't speak for a moment, then turned his head to Diana. "You've become very good at hiding in plain sight; now then; go. You've a party to attend." He said calmly to her. She merely nodded and left without a sound. He then turned to Elsa and sighed as he walked to a chair and leaned against it. "He I dont' trust in the least; never have trusted the London Assassins, they've been... sneaky as of late." he said calmly.

"What urked me the most, however; was the crest on the letter. Tell me; what does it remind you of?" He asked, looking out the window and scanning the horizon calmly.

"From what I have heard, one of our own is from there, or does Diana mimic like you ?" Elsa smiled she then started to braid her hair as Mark spoke. "I'm not sure, its the Assassin crest in Arendelle colors, but I dont recognise the flower, its not a Crocus like mine. Its something different." Elsa finished braiding her hair, a ice ribbon similar shade to her now slightly darker then the day before red dress, the blue offset the red beautifully. "it feels familar, yet... I dont know how it could be or why"

She went over to the box, briefly checking it carefully using her eagle vision she knew in her heart the Piece before her was real as the one on the desk glowed like a beer sign wigh another so close, that and Marks own armor too was pulsing brightly as well still. She closed the lid of the box, sealing it. Once sealed the glow stopped from the shard on the desk.

"This is from an Assassin, an Assassin who either once resided here, or resides here now. Somehow. We may have just missed this one. But... I do not see how" She faltered, Memories of her mother and her together when she was growing up, just the two of them in her mothers bedroom or her own bedroom, her mother teaching her, like Matthew did before he... disappeared.

Finally she said softly as she remembered the flower, "That crest..." She went white as a sheet at the mere thought. Her mother, alive ?

Mark said nothing about Diana, only huffed softly. He had mixed feelings about the girl. She seemed eerily familiar, but he didn't trust it yet. He didn't know her very well; hell, he didn't see her half the time. He sighed and then turned to Elsa as she began to figure out the Crest. He noted the expression change on her face and moved slowly over to her.

"Do you see now? Only one person in Arendelle's history ever used this crest; and only one person can make it so perfectly every time." He said calmly. "I have a hard time believing it myself; I... I've read the reports, I heard the stories. It... it's hard to understand." He said calmly.

He reached over and placed a gentle hand on Elsa's shoulder. "But let's not take too much time on it right now; you've guests to welcome, after all." He said calmly, his fingers gently moving to her chin to lift her chin gently, trying to sooth her with his voice and touch so she'd be emotionally stable enough to speak before her people.

A soft smile graced her face at his touch, she turned towards him. "Its impossible though. Momma is dead, Matthew said so himself! But, nobody can draw a Lily so perfectly like her. But, there's only one way to be sure, I think you can help with that. When the festival is over I want mothers body exhumed from where she is buried." Elsa said, "I want to be sure it is not her, that she is still alive. What was it that Snowfeather said you guys did in Egypt to identify the deceased ?" DNA testing mostly.

She smiled, turning to the box containing the shroud she thought a moment "Nobody but you, me, Samuel, Diana or Georgina must know this is here." She tapped the wooden lid lightly. Ice dancing on her fingers. Without a second thought she waved her hands over the box, within a heartbeat ice formed cloth and wrapped the box tightly. Nobody but Elsa could get near the ice as lines of frost started appearing on Marks armor until he stepped a half step backwards. If any tried to touch it, they'd freeze... which could be a bad thing, so she turned down the energy a bit. She did not want too much there.

"You're right though." She said turning back to Mark, placing a gentle kiss on his nose. "I've got guests to welcome and tomorrow is my birthday." Her eyes shined brightly. "Would you be so kind Master Wolfe, to escort me to the Courtyard for todays festivities ?" She asked him.

Mark made a mental note to have the body in Idun's grave DNA tested to see if it matched Idun's actual DNA. He'd get it done in secret, then place the coffin back so none would know that anything had occured. "You've my word that I won't tell anyone." He said calmly, nodding to the box before taking his half-step backwards to avoid the frost locking up the joints of his iDuradaeden/i Armor.

As Elsa gave him a light kiss on his nose, he returned the kiss with one to her chin and he smiled, nodding. "Very well; come along." He said, offering her his arm as he turned towards the door.

With a soft smile Elsa slid her arm in with his, her fingers seeking out his hand and then quickly entertwining with them as they walked with her on his arm, For a moment as they walked she seemed thoughtful, her head on his shoulder. "Do you think its possible that Momma is alive ?" She was already going through thoughts and visions in her head, if her mother was indeed alive, then Elsa wasn't queen! She could be with Mark and Anna and Kristoff heck with the Assassins more then she could be as Queen!

Mark shrugged gently. "That was her crest; so there is a possibility. Though from what I've read of Arendellian culture, you'd remain Queen even if she were." He explained softly. If not, he had a hunch that Idun would pass leadership to Elsa anyway so she could relax more. They rounded a corner and the door to the courtyard was in view.

He began to loosen his grip on Elsa's hand, but then tightened it again, rolling his fingers gently, the curve of his gauntlet's claws tickling Elsa's fair, soft skin a little bit. He'd already kissed her in front of practically the whole kingdom, so why not? He'll hold her hand if she'll let him.

At this point Elsa didn't care who saw her with Mark, if anyone saw them holding hands, then so be it. It did not matter to her anymore. No more secret looks or holding each others hands! After all she was Queen! As they neared the door she heard the sounds of everyone outside, the kids skating on the ice, everyone happy, it was perfect! But it was the sudden cry of a eagle that caught her attention. Lifting her head from Marks shoulder Elsa looked behind as Snowfeather appeared pretty much from thin air.

"We have a small problem at the docks." Was all she said. And when she said 'small' it normally meant 'honkin' huge problem' Which normally meant trouble to begin with.

"If you mean the British supplies, I just sent my permission to travel through Arendelle to the ships" Elsa said, never letting go of Marks hand

"That's... part of it" Snowfeather replied. She knew they loved each other and said nothing concerning them holding hands, though it seemed that Elsa gripped Marks hand her scars were showing in white. Snowfeather then noticed something slightly off about Elsa, she seemed paler then normal "Did something happen ? You look like you saw a ghost"

Mark's expression changed as Snowfeather approached; it became stern and alert, and only intensified as he heard that there was a problem. "What's the problem at the docks?" He asked calmly, his arm falling so that he and Elsa were only holding hands; though his grip on his hand was slowly loosening. He was already ready to jump into action if need be.

"Well if you count a ship simply disappearing from sight and sound as a small problem..." Snowfeather began thoughtfully. Ok a few crates or cargo disappearing was understandable, but an entire ship. Elsa stared at Snowfeather, her grip going whiteknuckle on Marks hand, almost cutting her hand on the claws of the gauntlet yet even wit that pressure, the skin did not break from the deadly metal. "... Its nothing we can't handle" Oh yes it was, if a ship disappeared

Mark blinked. A whole ship? Impossible! Could it have been Samuel's ship? "Get Diana and Georgina to figure out what happened as quickly as they can, I'll send Ulnaus and if they need help, they can send him back." he said, eyes flashing as he relayed orders to Ulnaus. "Elsa and I have a public appearance to make, right?" He turned his head towards Elsa, who hopefully had regained the color in her face by this point.

Elsa nodded as Mark spoke, she wasn't worry of anything at that moment, in fact she planned to do everything she needed to do, exhume her mothers body, speak with the Duke after the weeklong festival, pretty much all her queenly duties really. Even some Assassin duties too, liberating districts is easy, but searching for a _disappearing ship ?_ Not so easy. "Go with them, report anything you find to your sister who will then tell me tonight after Dinner, Until then, I... we... have a party to attend" Snowfeather smiled as Elsa corrected herself and once more pretty much all but tangled herself in Marks arm, but nodded at the orders. Elsa was queen after all.

As soon as Snowfeather had left Elsa sighed, the color had returned, mostly, to her face by then. "An entire ship disappearing... Is that even possible ?" Elsa had no idea of the camo nets or even stealth technology. Heck, the Templar was able to avoid being seen by anyone until he wanted to be seen as it was alone! She smiled then with a brief shake of her head as if to get the sleep from her eyes, once more giving Mark a kiss and leaning on his shoulder again, "Come on, we've a party to attend! And I dont want you to miss it, even if the templars show up at it"

Mark once more blinked as Elsa planted a kiss on him, stunned he cleared his throat and smiled bashfully. "I do believe that's why I'm here, no? To enjoy a party with you." He said calmly, looking down at her with a loving smile before turning his attention to the door. He began to walk forward again, and gave Elsa's hand a squeeze as the servants opened the door, the light flooding the room as Mark's eyes adjusted quickly and he saw everyone in the courtyard stop what they were doing and turn to look at the Queen and her Assassin.

Seeing their Queen and her Assassin together, hand in hand, her head on his shoulder. The people started clapping and cheering. Now this was a party. With Mark by her side, heck her still tangled in his arm basically at that point, the two moved to the center of the courtyard. Tables had been set up during her little breakfast alone in the dining room before everyone started coming into the courtyard for the mornings festivities for that day.

Yes, being a queen could wait a week. After all, with the massive horse on the spit being cooked at that moment in the center of the courtyard. Elsa requested it in the first place to begin with. Finally after a long five or so minutes of cheering and clapping it quieted and Elsa was heard asking simply "Who's hungry ?!" Turns out almost the entire kingdom, or at least those present in the courtyard, had skipped breakfast that morning.

 **Kingdom of Arendelle**

 **Port District**

 **At that same moment**

Georgina was thankfully on the docks watching Samuel as instructed, The Chinese Princess kept careful watch on the London Assassin as he entered a ship, literally walking from the gangplank into thin air. She watched everything carefully, taking it all in. That was their ticket in. Her vision shifted, _mhm... there you are!_ she thought seeing the white outline of the massive British Cruiser. Samuel appeared once more in blue. But she could not hear the clearly angered conversation the man was having with what appeared to be a british sailor. She then darted from her hiding spot, easily blending in with groups of people and dock workers who were acting as if nothing was wrong until she got to the cargo stacked outside the hidden cruiser

Ulnaus sat perched on one of the posts on the dock, preening his feathers. Not too far from Georgina's position was Diana, moving seamlessly between groups of people as if in an intricate and beautiful dance. She stopped at the edge of the gangplank, and Ulnaus chirped a few times, flapping his wings as his eyes flashed and he took off, screeching as usual. He could see everything that was going on around him at the moment; the ship, what was going on around and in it, and even things in the district over.

Snowfeather flew into view, lately she'd taken to flying around the kingdom, it was faster then a transport array, yet it was also quieter too. And sometimes the only path out. Moving into view from an alleypath she took a look around and mingled with some dock workers who were leaning on crates as some soldiers walked by, Assassin placed soldiers yes. But even then it never hurt to be careful.

Georgina kept a careful eye on the gangplank of the ship as Ulnaus screeched and flew off. That was her cue! She spotted a crane poking off of something and darted up it unseen, It was time to get a better view of things.

Snowfeather stepped up to Georgina after taking it all in, "So the ship is not gone. Have you encountered anything like this before ?" Snowfeather had heard of stealth technology, but nothing of this scale!

"I think I heard something about it a while ago before I came to Arendelle." Diana said softly, quite suddenly behind Snowfeather and Georgina without any other sound. Ulnaus soon landed on the one of the spinning sensors on the ship, and spun with it like a fool while some of the crew members tried to to shoo him away.

Georgina just rolled her eyes "The Templars were experimenting with it in Shanghai, it didn't go anywhere, at least, nothing like this, they ended up scrapping it after they blew up their own Piece and caused the Great Shanghai Quake" She smirked and pointed at Ulnaus "There's our cue!" She said softly as the ship faded into vew due to Ulanus just sitting on the satalite dish system, dumb bird looked quite comical as he preened on the thing, going in circles without a care in the world "Come on, the money and supplies to be transported are on there somewhere, spread out find them, use one of those sparrows if you find it." Georgina then swandove off the crane and landed perfectly without a sound in a haystack on the midship portside of the British cruiser.

Snowfeather smiled, Typical bird. She turned to Diana "Ulnaus and I will keep the others outside busy, get below and see what you can find." With that she turned and jumped off the crane arm and right before Diana's eyes {for the first time most likely} She turned into a nearly invisible glasslike eagle with a sharp eagle cry and dove for one of the attenae on the cruiser, barely touching the thing and becoming visible before disappearing again, spooking the men on the deck. Giving Diana the perfect window to jump aboard the vessel

 _Within the Helms Area of the HMS Rose_

 _A moment or so later_

"Are you insane ? Fading out the ship ? I just go get permission from the queen, the leader here to transport the supplies and money through the kingdom and what do you do ? You camo the ship!" Samuel was unhappy to say in the least

"I was following orders." Replied the captain of the vessel, who was everything but. Marcus Gray had patched himself onto the ship as its captain. His entire team, outside of Barnabas, who had gone back to America to be with his family because his father passed on, were on board.

"Yeah ? Whose ? Clearly not mine!" Samuel replied

Georgina heard it all as she crept into the room unseen, unlike the others, Georgina's skill at stealth was second only to Mark, Pretty much able to hide on a flat plain in broad daylight if she wanted to as she stood by the door, easily listening to everything said inside, this was not good.

"Orders from the top, you remember" Marcus replied, "You delivered the package ?"

"Whats it matter ? Yes its delivered! I need to send off a confirmation notice of delivery, ontop of that, here's our permission notice as well. Signed by the Queen herself." Samuel withdrew the letter Elsa had drawn up and handed it to Marcus.

"Package delivered and permission granted both in the same go ? Amazing." Marcus mumbled. He doubted highly that Arendelle would allow passage, if they knew who was in the traveling party at least. "Never expected it to come through so quickly" Marcus smiled, he had his chance now. "From here on out, then. We're good to go ?"

"Yes, your contract was to get us through to here, we can take it from here. Thank you." Samuel replied, Georgina heard the sound of steel meeting flesh as Marcus spoke

"No, thank you, Master Green, you've filled your end of the bargan perfectly." He still needed Michaels, and at this moment, Wolfe was the only path to him. Marcus turned and left the bridge, walking right past Georgina's hiding place as he did so, the bloodied knife laid on the helm of the ship, he never saw her as he passed.

Georgina scampered into the bridge and locked the door behind her, Green laid on the floor before the helm. She went to his side. "Easy Assassin, easy." Georgina said softly, pressing a hand to his wound. "It is deep"

"It was expected" Green said, the life slowly slipping away from him as time and everything else seemed to fall away from Georgina as she knelt at Samuel Green's side. "I knew my time was up, I planned to retire to the countryside, and yet now. Somehow I knew my life would end at the edge of a sword, like so many I had slain."

"Yet it was not in vain, was it ? What is it truly that you were guarding ? Just the Shroud ?"

Green shook his head. "Not just the Shroud, There is another piece. Hidden in the gold bullion. Take this" He struggled to remove a ship deck layout from his hood. "In the marked chest you'll find it. Her orders are clear, only _She_ can use them properly. All of us who tried, were driven mad with fear, or pain." The life left Samuel's eyes, Georgina gently closed them and took the layout., her own Vision active, taking it all in.

It was a chest, filled with gold, yet hidden within the chest, were two swords.

But who did Samuel Green mean by 'Only she can use them' who did he mean ? Elsa ?

Georgina stood up, as she did so she became aware that 'Diana' had snuck into the bridge of the ship without a sound. "You're good at that. Better then I thought you would be. What rank are you ? Second, Third Assassin ? Who taught you ?" It was easy to sneak about so perfectly quiet and not get noticed or heard when the person that taught you wasn't even human to begin with. In this case Marion's teacher was noneother then the 'Brothel Owner' Tiri herself. And what Tiri was, only Elsa, or rather who Elsa once was, truly knew.

 _In the crews room of the Rose_

"Alright boys listen up, our path is clear, we have some shit to do" Marcus said waking up some of his men from their slumber. "Command send us some gear, and some new members"

"Ah shit again ? Another rookie to use as a meatshield ?"

"That's right deadman. Get up, get the rest of the team up, I got some checking to do. Get the package, we transport this stuff into town. Michaels may have left our reach, again, but we have another target, Her name is Elsa. She gave us permission to travel in her country!" He showed the squad the info. His plan then was simple, get Elsa, and he could get Mark. All they had to do first was transport to a certain point a few items.

Marcus left the room to his own bunk, not knowing that two birds, one of them truly massive, and the other tiny compared to the eagle, were watching him closely.

 _In the bridge of the Rose at that same moment_

Marion looked down to the body of Green, biting her bottom lip as she knelt down and lightly felt for a pulse on his neck. An audible sigh escaped her lips. One of the few people she trusted back in London; dead thanks to... actually she wasn't sure at the moment. "Did...Did he at least deliver _them_?" she asked softly. She meant the swords.

How could she know? Unless...she asked for them to be delivered herself? No, couldn't be. Could it?

Seeing how Marion acted in reaction to seeing Samuel Green dead in the ships bridge, Georgina told her everything she had been told by Green as he passed. "He mentioned another Piece, maybe two, said 'only she can use them' Any idea what he means ? He gave me this" She held out the deck layout of the ship, it noted the locations of several key crew members, along with several unknowns that looked oddly familar. She glanced towards Green then looked around for a blanket. Aha, gently draping the cloth over Green she asked to Diana softly "Did you know him ? I am sorry, loosing an Assassin, even if known by chance alone, is never easy. Is it ?"

Marion took the deck layout and looked it over briefly. "I know exactly what he means... something I'd discovered in London in my... musings." she said calmly. At the next question she was silent for a second before speaking, her voice shaking. "I... met him one day; he came to the cafe below the uh... brothel. He was... so kind to me compared to the other customers. I... never got to thank him."

There was more to her tone, hidden feelings left unexpressed, filtered almost seamlessly out of her shaking voice. Almost. She then shook he head. "There's always... _next_ time. I'll tell him then. Until then; let's find the special cargo. They're... for the Queen." She said. She knew more than she was letting on; how much she was with-holding however none could fathom.

Georgina nodded, She spotted Ulnaus again, once more perched on the satalite dish, spining with it like some kind of carnival stand or sign. Making the thing unbalanced as a whole bunch of British men were trying to shoo him off. "We have time, lets go. We got the map, he said it wasn't in vain thankfully, said it was... expected, but too soon." Georgina never saw Marcus in that bunch. She went to the door, the coast was clear. She nodded towards Diana, "Lets get that other piece, or two if there is more then one." There was something about how Diana spoke of Green. So she knew him. "There was nothing I could do, the man he was with did it to him, Even if we had gotten him to a healer, it would not have been enough time." She said gazing to Green on the floor. "I am sorry."

She held the door open for Diana, it was time to go. flicking out her wrist a shirikiin destroyed the security system. Best to not let herself, or Diana get seen by those running the ship.

Nodding, the younger female left the bridge silently, she glanced around the corner, and hopped across, hidden as she moved silenltly, almost as if dancing down the deck of the ship. She crouched and stopped another corner as a Guard walked around the corner and turned the right, opposed to Marion's position on the left of the corridor. She hugged the corner and slipped around it before finding the door to go below deck and find the pieces they needed. She only hoped Georgina was still with her.

A few steps behind Marion was Georgina, and she sadly had a brief tussel with the guard that Marion had avoided being spotted by, mostly because Georgina slammed dead into him. Two seconds later and she had dragged the man into a cart of soiled uniforms out cold but thankfully not dead before quickly darting to the door leading down to the hold and pretty much swandiving off the top of the steps to the deckplates below with a dull thud and pained hiss. Man those metal floors hurt!

She got to her feet and flexed her arm a bit, the muscles felt tight and slightly stiff, she worked them a bit and snuck through the cargo hold, she felt the presence of a Piece or two, like with the Shroud, only... this felt more... attuned ? It didn't make any sense at that point. Why would a piece be attuned ? Was it because it belonged to someone and it was reacting to that person being so close by ? Or was it something else.

There was the added problem of not able to spot Diana anywhere in the hold, with all the crates of gold bullion and consrtuction supplies, the hold was an absolute maze. And to make things worse, there were guards patrolling it

Marion was close by; hidden in plain sight thanks to the dim light and her Venetian Azure robes against the metal of the interior of the ship. She could sense the presence of the swords. Her swords. She smiled and, still crouched low to the ground, began to move again, ever so slowly forward, towards a eerie box at the far end of the hold. All of the Guards seemed to avoid the box for one reason or another. Marion didn't care; she wanted her swords back.

Georgina noticed that many of the soldiers avoided a rather large area of the hold, either for ill omen or by orders to keep away, either or worked for her. She slipped down a row of boxes and turned left, silenting knocking out a soldier without a sound whatsoever as she stepped into view of the midship area of the hold. this area was well clear of soldiers of anty kind and a single box was anchored to a table in the middle, Using her eagle vision, Georgina saw exactly that even though filled and lined with gold, it held two more Pieces of Eden, or did it.

Marion moved closer still; her eyes fixated on the box. Soon she stood, and the guards all whirled around, aiming their pistols towards her. But something stopped them from pulling the trigger: Curiosity. Sure they wondered how the hell she got in; but they wondered what would happen. She was mere feet from the table; staring at that box. That...sickening, maddening box that caused even the strongest of men to falter and collapse to the ground, crying like children as snot poured from their noses and bile from their mouths.

Slowly her hand moved forward, and opened the box.

The light from the contents raged forth, filling the room with light for a brief second. From then on; it was black. Two things were heard then: The first, was something being placed on the table. The Second: That something sliding against something else; a sickening, grotesque noise of metal on metal grating at the ears of those around.

The light returned.

Marion began to walk nonchalantly towards the exit, the guards began to falter; their guns shaking as they tried to form words to stop her, but she did not care. She had her swords back. She then stopped, the guards on all sides, having built up the courage to surround her. All of them trembling, but pointing their guns at her head. She smiled, and only seemed to twitch before every single gun barrel fell to the ground, cut out from the rest of the weapon without a sound or mistake. The men soon fell after, noses and jaws broken from being struck. Marion turned towards Georgina, and smiled.

Georgina blinked, well, she tried not to, but it was impossible to see Marion move so quickly, did she even move ? "OK so... you're the one Master Green meant when 'Only She can use them' ?" She asked thoughtfully. She'd located a soldier with a list of orders, of those orders were to hide something important somewhere in Arendelle. with a list of numbers. logitude and lattitude. Of course without a map or even Snowfeathers discs there was no real way they could track what was stolen. Which according to the note, was nearly ten billion in british gold bullion bound for Stockholm.

She stepped up to Marion then, "Nice job" She said meaning the men knocked out, jaws and noses smashed, weapons desteroyed, at least the men were still alive... sorta. "I think you got them. Am I missing something ?" Apparently the one piece of Info that Georgina was never told was that Marion had been given access to a Piece in London, and it was apparently the Shroud. Or was it ?

Marion smiled then; and slowly moved the swords to two sheaths on either hip, each blade slowly, silently entering its home without protest. As she was complemented she gave a small nod of thanks then looked around. "Nope. Well, just my movements. These blades... they unlock my innate speed." She paused for a second to step over the body of the guard in front of her on her way to the door. "Mark never did tell you I was faster than him, did he? He never... told you much of anything, actually, did he?" she asked Georgina.

"I'm assuming Snowfeather said nothing as well?"

"Snowfeather as far as I know doesn't even know you're in town, only knows you're a new recruit named Diana. Same with Mark, as far as I know I'm the only one that knows who you really are. Snowfeather knows you're alive yes, but she thinks you're still in England, am I right so far ?" Georgina asked before continuing "Mark wont tell me anything other then contracts or districts to liberate, otherwise he's either in the forges working on something in the Wolfe District, or he's with Elsa. Which he is most likely doing right now as we speak." They had no idea exactly what was planned for lunch.

"Anyhow, I found this." She handed over the letter to Marion, "It was encripted, a mix of Chinese and Arabic, I translated it, apparently ten billion or thereabouts of British Gold got taken off this ship while Green was with us at the castle. Its somewhere in Arendelle, and its got the templar mark in lemon juice under the notes contents." She explained. "What should we do now ? Report to Mark and Elsa or wait until after dinner ?" Knowing how the party was going back at the castle, interrupting with news and reports like this could be a downer of a day in most cases.

Marion nodded softly at the idea that Mark says nothing about his family, or that Snowfeather hasn't said a word or knows of anything at all. Made sense; Mark never was one to talk of personal matters it seemed, unless it was with a select few he knew he could trust. That list however had grown significantly shorter than it already was when he came to Arendelle.

She looked quickly to Georgina as she mentioned the amount of gold, and snatched the letter to make sure she wasn't fibbing. Glancing over it she gritted her teeth. "No, not Mark or Elsa... Blackmane, however... her and Snowfeather need to know. Mark's sword to Elsa's side at the moment; we can't separate them; plus after what he pulled last night I'll doubt he'll comply anyway." She said calmly.

Then she turned. "We need to let Blackmane know." she said, walking towards the exit again.

"I do not think he pulled anything. Aside from dancing with Elsa, which honestly I never expected, he even asked me if I cared to dance, I was about to ask him myself if he'd like to, but Elsa... partly beat me to the punch, so to speak" Georgina said as the two of them left the hold and up the stairs to the main deck, moving through the ship they found Snowfeather watching as Ulnaus stayed just out of reach of the remaining crew, still perched up on the satalite dish as the thing spun about. Without a care in the world. "Now, What confuses me however, confuses me greatly, is their necklaces, What connected them ? Sure not their movements in the dancing they did last night."

"Or do you mean the fireworks on the fjord ?" Meaning the ship that was destroyed during the grand finale the night before. That alone was a sight to see!

The younger female shrugged. She glanced to Ulnaus and Snowfeater, nodding her head towards the pier. "We'll worry about what Mark did later; we'll worry about their necklaces too... but for now, Snowfeather and Blackmane need to know." Marion seemed deadset on letting the resident Head-Assassin's know about this; and with good reason. With ten billion in Gold, the Templars could sustain an army that could take over all of Arendelle twice over and prevent any further infiltration by Assassins.

How she knew this she wouldn't say, but then again it also seemed to be quite common sense. Once off the ship she began to explain the whole situation to Snowfeather, who had undoubtedly caught her nod to head off the ship.

Snowfeather caught Marions nod, or in this case caught Diana's nod to exit the ship, easily taking flight with the crew focused on Ulnaus, Snowfeather soon joined Georgina and Diana on the peir, as the pair walked she joined them in stride. Soon filled in on the details from Diana she looked thoughtful. "Knowing what Elsa is currently doing, telling her about this now is not a good idea. She looked when I last saw her, as if she had seen a ghost." She explained how Elsa looked so pale when she left the study. "Mark is with her, they... well... lets just say that seperating them wont be a good idea until after they go to bed"

"That is putting it lightly" Georgina mumbled, she'd overheard some passerby, a few girls it looked to be, all dreamy looks on their faces as they passed, all of them talking of the armored man and the Queen. And that weird clicking noise right before they kissed the night before. She explained what she had heard "It seems Mark has made either some fans, or he has some one sided crushes. That kiss may have sealed it up for him." As far as anyone knew, the only person for Mark was Elsa, and vice versa, but how long then could it last ?

"Now what is this about missing gold ?" Snowfeather took a look at the numbers. None of them made sense. At least, not until she got back to the Den and able to look through the thing properly with her identity disc in hand.

 **20 December**

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Icerink Courtyard**

 **About an hour later at dinner**

Dinner for this day of the party was rather extravagant. The massive horse was cooking on the spit was almost finished and ready to serve. Not many in the kingdom knew of Elsa's fear of horses to begin with, but they almost all knew of her love of horsemeat. All day long children and families, even soldiers, skated on the ice. A few races were made, even some rather... well.. funny endings. Though staying close to Mark was what made her happier. there was something about him... about them both that made her wonder briefly at times about the future.

But soon dinner was to be served. Searching the crowd she tried to see if Georgina or Diana had returned from their contract. She had however spotted Ulnaus make a rather hilarious landing in a snowdrift she conjured for him to perch on, his bulk causing it to collapse under him. Much to her delightful giggle and a quick rebuilding of the drift.

Mark seemed more relaxed than he had in the past few months anyone had seen him; perhaps he had slept well last night. Perhaps it was because he was with Elsa. Either way the one-sided crushes remained as young women from around Arendelle kept close eyes on him. He never strayed too far from Elsa, it seemed, or perhaps it was Elsa who was simply following him, not letting him out of her sight. Either way, he was calm and happy at the moment. His armor gleamed in the light of the courtyard, and his ceremonial Assassin's Cloak, which he wore the day before as well, looked as though it had just been cleaned.

"Blasted fool..." Mark chuckled as Ulnaus slammed into the snowdrift, the massive bird was clumsy in everything else as he was graceful and beautiful in flight. Mark merely chuckled, and looked around him.

Elsa stepped up to Ulanus, feeling a sense of deja vu as she stepped to the massive bird, She felt eyes on her from everywhere but didn't care, Ulnaus however had a good sized snowflake stuck on his beak that wasn't coming off. She stepped up to the massive eagle and gently reached to Ulnaus beak. Well aware of how strong the massive bird was she stopped briefly, already wondering if what she was about to do was a good idea.

That was when the snowdrift fell out from beneath the two of them, Queen and Eagle alike. with a startled chirp Elsa pretty much disappeared into a snowdrift with Unlaus ontop of her

Mark could just barely hold in his laugh as the snowdrift gave out beneath Ulnaus and Elsa, the tell-tale snore-like sound coming from him as he covered his mouth to try and hide his smile. He couldn't, however, as he laughed quietly, walking towards the snow drift to make sure Elsa was alright, since Ulnaus's beak and claws were sharp enough to cut darn near anything they wanted.

Thankfully Ulnaus' very sharp beak was nowhere near harming Elsa, however his claws were, yet somehow they did not cut through Elsa's dress sleeve, though he did cut her shoulder a little bit, but it wasn't anything to worry about. Nevertheless, Elsa was under Ulnaus, and buried in snow. She heard some laughter, and honestly she felt ok with it. Like she needed a moment to let things go and just have a good laugh. In all honesty she didn't even care of she was the reason for the laugh. In fact she wondered of all the voices of laughter, which one was Marks ?

Of course as Mark neared the snowdrift, it was then that four women, all of them Assassins, entered the courtyard in time for dinner. Not one of them knew where Elsa was, or why pretty much everyone in the courtyard were laughing. the first guess from Snowfeather was laughing gas, that ended up being wrong when the amunt of snow was noted and Mark was walking towards a beaten looking snowdrift in the middle of where the dance floor was the night before

Mark extended a hand towards Elsa. "I've heard Snow is bad for a dress, My Queen. Makes it...see through." He said. He was joking, of course; he knew Elsa's Dress wouldn't be see-through, but any normal dress would if it were lightly colored and made from the right materials. He was still having trouble supressing his laugh, however, and couldn't stop a small onslaught of giggles here and there as he helped Elsa out of the snowdrift, and towards the dinner table.

Elsa smiled and took his hand in hers. Ahh perfect, this was how it was to be. As she stood, the dinner bell rang across the kingdom. Yup, time for dinner, and that horse was not gonna get cooked any better then it was right then! The dinner was, in a word, perfectly prepared as well, the horse was cooked all day long, everyone was ready and waiting for it to be served. and soon enough it was. Within an hour the horse was properly drawn up and everyone present had their fill if not more.

As soon as dinner was done the party for day two was ended however, much to everyones delight it was a major evening the following day, The Queens birthday was the following day, and Kai, Anna and Mark were planning one hell of a surprise party, but there was something Elsa wanted to do. And that was start the day with Mark, like she had that morning, just the two of them. Little did she know that the Royal Painter was also going to be there too. The rest of the paintings ready for her to hang where she wanted them to be hung

She had no idea of the surprise party Anna was planning with Mark for the following night.

Two hours later and the first full day of the weeklong festival came to a close, everyone wanted to be well rested for the next day, Elsa's birthday was not just the main part, well to some it felt like it, but there was a very important thing planned the next day, a surprise party for Elsa herself! Nevertheless, as the last of the partygoers left for bed, Elsa took Mark to her room and closed the door, using a snowflake lock she showed him how he could get past it, If she thought of someone to get past it, she explained it to "Lets say I want only Anna or Olaf to come in here to wake me up in the morning" Elsa said, she pointed at the door, the snowflake flashed brightly before fading away "Only they can get through as well as myself without harm." She smiled, "Tomorrow is my birthday, I want to see you first, before Kai or Anna or anyone else. Its... important to me I guess." There was something she wanted to show him from the night before when they had parted ways for the night. "Something I want only you to see"

Mark smiled, he knew what she meant, or did he ? It didn't matter. "That is fine with me. I too have something I want to share with you. But it must wait until tomorrow morning, before breakfast" He was planning on meeting up with her in the library, with the Painter with that painting she had requested

Elsa stared at him, a secret ? "oh ?"

Mark smiled again "But, we must sleep first, for it is for you, tomorrow. You will find out then. Now, let us get to bed so we can be well rested before the sunrise" Elsa smiled and nodded, seeing Mark to the door she watched him head down the hall to the stairs before disappearing out of her sight before closing the door. She set a snowflake lock on it, only Mark or herself could get through. Then went and curled up in bed. Already wondering what Mark planned to show her on her birthday morning

 **21 December 2051**

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Elsa's bedroom**

 **Just before dawn**

 _In a unwanted memory..._

Elsa wandered through the tall grass, turning in cirlces as she moved she was unaware of what was around her or where she was to begin with. The last thing she remembered was dinner, alone with Mark after the days party, and then going to her bedroom to discuss the next step in finding her mothers journals, so where was she now ? She kept moving. Clearly unsure of what was going on or where she was to go next.

She found a stable. her right hand felt sore.

She found herself complelled to go into the stable. Fog obscured everything around her except for the stable itself. She stepped up to it and knocked "Hello ? Is anyone here ?" Not hearing anyone she stepped inside, the door slammed shut behind her as she twirled around to stare as the wooden beam locked the door into place. One way in, there had to be another way out.

Turning around she started to explore. That was a bad idea.

She turned a corner and stopped dead in her tracks. There in front of her, without even a fencxe to hold it in, was a truly massive horse; Elsa stared, rooted to the spot in horror as the massive horse for a moment, did not notice her right away. Simply eating, but even then, Elsa knew, she just iknew/i she was next. She tried to step backwards, but again her path was blocked as a wall was behind her. She was trapped.

She spotted, beyond the horse, her way out. Maybe if she went as quietly as she could to get around it and not seen by it ? Picking up her cape she tiptoed keeping as far as she could from the horse. Scared out of her mind. Her right hand felt wet however, and she dare not look at it as to break her careful tiptoeing. Sadly, she was spotted as the horse moved. She stood as still as she could.

She steadied her breathing, like how she had been taught by Mark. 'Keep calm, keep quiet, it wont notice you, dont breathe too harshly. It will only make things worse, you can do this, the horse doesn't see you. You'll be alright' Elsa told herself, but she knew somehow, this wasn't right. How was she in a stable to begin with anyhow ? that alone did not make any sense to her.

The horse turned her way. 'Oh no'. Elsa thought in horror as the horse looked directly at her. She remembered a horse, bigger then this one, maybe because she was a child at the time ? It didn't matter, she remembered getting lost in the beautiful eyes of a horse before the horse made her its next meal. She looked away and raised her hands, ready to freeze the horse, no, she was not going to to become its next meal. Never again!

But that proved to be her undoing as she suddenly felt herself get pulled forwards by an unseen force. Slamming dead on into the horse's side flopped up and over it onto the other side, much closer to its mouth then she'd like to be. out of fear she threw out her hand, intending to throw ice at the horse, anything to get it away from her. But nothing happened. 'No, no please no, please!' Elsa thought in horror as she felt the hot breath from the horse's snout on the back of her neck, she rolled onto her back and scrambled madly backwards. But the horse had stepped onto her cape, holding her firmly in place.

Elsa couldn't move, her mind fogged then with complete fear. there was nothing she could do. She tried to get as far as she could from the animal. Raising her hands to freeze it when she felt it.

Pain, intense searing pain in her right hand and arm as the horse grabbed her in its maw and started chewing. Blood poured from the wound as the horse went up her arm, as it did so it seemed to change from a docile horse into a monstrous ugly creature, ripping her dress sleeve apart and digging into her shoulder and side. Elsa screamed bloody murder and struck with all her might at the beast

 _The wakeful world..._

Elsa sat up screaming in her bed. It took her a minute to get her bearings, she was in her room, her door locked, the only person able to come in was Mark, she made that clear as she wanted ot see him the next morning before breakfast. But...

She felt wetness on her arm. She looked to her bed, her right arm bled freely from numurous cuts. The dream! Was it a dream ? Elsa curled up in her bed, holding her bleeding arm close, and wept. There seemed to be no way she could get away from that memory.


	22. Seqeunce 5 Memory 6

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 5**_

 _ **Memory 6: A Birthday Fit for a Queen part 3**_

 **21 December 2051**

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Elsa's bedroom**

 **Just before dawn**

Sunlight broke through the window, slowly filling the room with light as Elsa sat on her bed, curled in a pained ball. Her arms holding her knees close to her chest, her right arm soaked with fresh blood and new cuts from nowhere. She had hoped it was all just a bad dream. But when she woke from her fitful pained slumber, she was well aware of blood on her arm, and on her bed. And also aware of the fact that it was also her birthday

But all she could think and wonder, was; why today ? Her birthday of all days, to have such a nightmare ?

 _At the same moment_

Mark's eyes snapped open, and he sat up had actually made it to the room assigned to be his, and was in his bed. For sleeping apparel he wore a simple pair of sweats and a white tank-top shirt, his muscular body somewhat accented by the tightness of the shirt, but was made more apparent by the quick rise and fall of his chest as he looked down, then up, to the level where Elsa slept.

Something was wrong.

He cast a Transport array on the ground and rolled through it, appearing outside of her room and knocking on the door rather...uncourteously. "Elsa?! You alright?" He asked through the door before opening it, remembering that the door would open for him.

All Mark got in terms of an answer was a soft whimper. Upon entering it was clear something had happened, Scars on Elsa's arm that weren't there the night before were bleeding. Scars he was certain he'd have noticed on her before. But either she was very good at hiding them, or he was too focused on her face to notice. It was most likely the latter. Elsa sat upon her bed, curled into a pained ball. Her right arm he could see clearly, as well as the blood on the bed, and on her.

What had happened ? Where did she get the scars from ? Why were they bleeding ?

Mark blinked as he saw the bleeding scars on her arm as he stepped to her bedside. "Elsa...wh...what happened? Who did this to you?" He said, ever so gently touching her arm to assess how bad they were. "Kai!" He called of course heard the call and quickly entered, and have a similar reaction to Mark. "Get the healer immediately, these must be tended to before she meets the public today." Mark said calmly.

Kai nodded "by your word sir" He said turning and exiting the Queens bedroom

After Kai left, Mark sighed and scooted cloer to Elsa, offering her a gentle hug. "They're not bad; if anything they appear to just be old scars that have opened up some...the Healer will be able to get you looking good as new in a jiffy." He reassured her gently, kissing her cheek gently to help raise her confidence.

Elsa at first did not really feel anyone in the room with her, her mind locked in horror of being ripped up by a horse. Her worse nightmare, on her birthday. Well that in of itself was actually normal. It took a minute before she realised that mark was on her bed next to her ,holding her. She was scared, she never showed even Anna her scars! Well, at times Anna did see them, but no questions were asked! But how could she tell Mark ? "They are old scars, most of them at least." Some of the scars were faded, nearly the same color as her skin, but where her dress sleeve normally was, the scars were notiably darker. Travling up her right arm in a complete hellish mess. Elsa did not even want to think about her side and shoulder which were covered

Old scars ? Why was he not told ? Turns out, the scars were nearly twenty years old! She was seven, iseven/i years old when she had been bitten by that horse! **_seven!_** So why was it bleeding then ?

Mark appeared mostly calm, and sighed softly. "Old, huh? I've got my fair share of old scars." He said, shaking his head and shivering to get rid of the memory before it became real in his mind again. He sighed and gently pulled Elsa to him after using the ribbon she gave him to tie his hair to tie a make-shift tourniquet to help stop the bleeding. "Kai and the Healer should be here any minute now, Elsa... This'll help." he said, gesturing to the ribbon, tied right around her upper shoulder and arm-pit; above the scars to slow the blood flow and stop the bleeding.

Elsa nodded, it was now or never "It was on my seventh birthday when I got these. You wonder why we dont have horses in Arendelle. These are why" She lifted her arm slightly. the blood still flowed, yet not as strong as before thanks to the ribbon. "I was alone in the stables when it happened." She said softly, her mind still filled with the horror of the horse ripping apart her arm as a child. "A massive horse, I was curious and reached up to pet it, let it take a sniff or something, the next thing I knew, it had my hand in its mouth and was chewing up my arm. I was too scared or in shock or something to react right away, but it was not until it got to my side and shoulder when I reacted." She explained it all, freezing the horse's heart to stop the thing, fleeing and hiding in a bathroom until Kaedrian could find her. Everything.

It was as she was finishing when Kai returned with Kaedrian. The healer at the time when Elsa was first injured by the horse could heal her, but had she done so completely, no scars or anything, Kaedrian would have died herself. So leaving scars was the only option at the time. Upon entering Elsa's bedroom she saw the blood, and the fact that Elsa was freaked out, but Mark was there keeping her calm. Kaedrian of course said simply right from the outset upon seeing Elsa's condition, as well as noting the date "Nightmare again ?" She sighed then "So, are there any new ones this time, or is it just the old ones that have reopened ?"

"Both" Came the sullen, freaked out reply. New scars, new cuts, freshly bleeding, and the old scars reopened and bleeding.

Wait, again ?

 **Kingdom of Arendelle**

 **Courtesan's Compound**

 **Tush District**

 **At that same moment**

Since being rebuilt it soon became a haunt of the Templar soldiers in the area. Thankfully it also provided a nice home sitting for certain people. A caravan of a sort by ship had arrived the night before, and the day before that. and also the day before that at the start of the weeklong party. And it was now to get things into proper motion. Once settled in, the courtesan building quickly became a proper bordello of a sort. For wont of a better term, a proper house for ladies to help men ease their nerves. And under a certain Ice creature named Tiri, it was easier said then done, but then again, Tiri had used the same cover at Idun's request nearly twenty years before!

"Two days in this kingdom already, I never thought I'd see it again after so long" A stack of papers hit the desk in the office like room. Tiri had made good use of this building already. Since Blackmane had repaired it, only Georgina knew they'd be arriving that week. But did Marion ? Tiri had been born on the slopes of the North Mountain the same exact instant Elsa first cried at being born and held within Idun's arms. Tiri being born on the North Mountain as a serpentine creature wasn't found by any of the Royal Family until Elsa's parents were searching for a teacher for Elsa when the storm hit their ship. Tiri had returned to the north mountain after arriving in Arendelle. None really cared of the icy creature chowing down on moose in the wilderness.

"How is Marion adjusting ?" Tiri then asked as a woman stepped in, being the 'owners' of a sort of the new courtesan building Chairty had found it hard not to explore Arendelle unless in proepr desguise.

"I don't know, Georgina knew that we were arriving this week, but I never told her." Came the reply, they should be there soon, Charity missed her daughter. But this mission was important, they had to retake Arendelle the right way. Besides, today was the Queen's birthday and it was an important event! That and the news she got of what transpired the night they had arrived

"Either way I'm gonna go back to sleep, wake me when its breakfast time or when Marion shows up will you please ?" With that Tiri's form, which was a mirror of Elsa herself, simply crumbled into bones of ice blue and many snowflakes and took a powernap

 **The streets of Arendelle**

 **Tush District**

 **A few moments later**

It was indeed a festive day, yet even for the Templars that patrolled the district, as small as it was, it was a festive day and there wasn't any stopping the district from celebrating a certain monarchs birthday. Patrols of six wandered the district. But even with the soldiers present, the townspeople in the district couldn't tell the difference between Templars and those loyal to Elsa anyhow. Only those with the abilites of an Assassin could easily tell that much.

One of those groups were patrolling near a house for girls, a ladies home, otherwrise known among the soldiers as the whorehouse; The group walked the street and as they passed in front of the building one turned to the other.

"Hey cap, why're we patrolling at nearly sunup ? Dont the bosses know its below freezing out here ? My nutsack is cold! I wanna warm it up!" The Templar soldier complained, others chimed in their wants and needs. Which mostly included the ladies in the building to their left.

"You'll get to do so, later. Right now we got a job to do" Said another soldier in the patrol. Both men were not looking forwards to eight hour shifts in subzero tempertures. But it was life lately. Besides, any second and the Assassin's could retake the district and they'd all be dead!

"Pipe down, both of ya." the Captain said. "Or I'll make sure you won't have to worry about your nuts ever again." he said, glancing over his shoulder. He hated the cold as much as the next guy; but he didn't complain about it; which is probably why he was promoted to be Captain in the first place.

Marion watched from a nearby bench; half amused, half disgusted with how these men were talking. But that wouldn't matter; the liberation of this district would begin with them, before Morning. With that the raised her hood and assumed the guise of Diana, picking up a rock from the ground. She chucked it into an alley beside the group of Templars; hitting an old piece of glass, which shattered loudly.

"The fuck was that?" One of them asked.

"Hell if I know, go check, dumb-ass."

"You're shitting me, right? Probably what the Assassin's want me to do."

"Fine, I'll go with you, chicken."

"Fuck you asshole..."

The two continued their banter as they, predictiably, went into the Alley way to check on the mysterious noise.

From up above the patrol Georgina looked every bit a statue at the corner of the rooftop above. Oh man not this captain again, she thought. This guy was a very cowardly fellow, yet really funny when it came to just watching his movements and patrols. She raised her crossbow, a small handheld job she'd flitched off the man she pretty much landed in the lap of when they retook Marks home.

Before loading it she did a quick rehearsal to see if she had the timing down then she loaded a explosive bolt into the thing and aimed at the center of the lot, They wanted warmth, they were getting it, smoke really, but still, that inital flash was warm...ish

Toooing!

kaPOOF! thick grey smoke filled the street as Georgina then dropped her crossbow and dropped off the roof ontop of the captain, this was the only chance to actually get the guy for once, besides he had the den key to begin with.

As soon as the smoke bomb went off, there was cursing, yelling, and some screams from citizens who were up this early.

"See! I Fucking Told You, you fucking walnut."

"Shut up and run asshole!"

They wouldn't get very far, however. As Georgina landed on the captain, Diana had unsheathed her dual blades, and with a flurry of motion, had sliced their comerades into peices. The two stood staring at the girl; fresh steam rising from their crotches. Before their heads met the ground before their bodies could, and Diana sheathed her blades after flicking what little blood was on them off. She turned to Georgina as she wrestled with that skinny, squeemish, surprisingly hard to hold still captain.

Due to this ability to not sit still, he was on his feet, and throwing punch after punch at Georgina in a desperate attempt to distract her long enough to be able to bolt; knowing his superior speed would allow him to possibly escape.

It should have been easy, from the smoke bomb to the tackle, to everything really. But this skinny, squeemish captain was impossible to hold down! Within a heartbeat of landing on him she was back on her feet trading blows with the guy. She brought up her foot the same time he brought up his, colliding hard with his knee against her lightly armored shin she heard a bone crack, possibly hers, but in the heat of battle she didn't notice.

She spotted a glint of silver flash briefly around his neck. The key. Flicking out her wrist she grabbed her scarf and used it as a whip, wrapping it around the key she pulled the thing while also kicking hard with both feet at the guy when the chain holding the key snapped sending her to the snowy ground in a heap

"Son of a fuck!" The captain later known as Captain Snaproot, lurched back after the chain around his neck snapped. He stumbled back and patted his knee hard on either side before bolting down the road as fast as he could; much too fast for many to even try to catch him, let alone succeed.

Diana reached for her blades. "Should I go after him?" She asked Georgina, quickly looking to her mentor before lowering herself into a ready stance where she could bolt after him faster than many humans can move.

Georgina shook her head, distangling her scarf from the keychain she smiled and held up the key "Let him be, we have what we need to unlock the den here and set the signal fire. Help me up; there's someone important you need to see before we see Elsa and Mark for breakfast" She noticed the snowfall then as it started, it was light yet not too heavy either, just a natural thing too.

She held out a hand to Diana to get to her feet, hissing slightly at the weight on her injured leg. _Mental note girl_ , she told herself, _slightly thicker leg armor. Or maybe dont aim for the knee._ The only problem with mental notes was that the ink faded so quickly.

Diana nodded and reached to Georgina, helping her up easilly. "What is it I need to see after we're done liberating this district?" She asked calmly, adjusting the scarf she was using as a mask to keep her face warm with her glove-covered fingers. She seemed a lot more fit than when she first came to Arendelle; it seemed that all the Templar slaying and free-running had toned her body to the point where a bit of visible muscle could be seen; but so too could her natural curves. She was fair, and gentle; but only when she wanted to be.

She cleared her throat, wanting to get onto the topic of what she needed to see quickly.

"Not what" Georgina said with a hiss as she limped a bit. She'd need to see Kaedrian before breakfast for sure,She held out the key "Who. Here, get up stairs and light the signal fire to mark the liberation, I'll stay here in case anything happens. When the signal's lit I'll meet you by that haystack"

She pointed out a haystack, they had to properly liberate the district before they could focus on anything else.

The younger female raised an eyebrow, but nodded; unlocking the door and heading up the stairs quickly. After kicking the single guard off the top of the tower, and the poor man screaming to his death right next to the haystack, she lit the tower, then swan-dove into the hay below. She popped her head out of the hay and then hopped out before tossing the man's body into it and leaning against the cart, waiting for Georgina.

"Now then... who do I need to meet?"

Georgina smiled, bringing up both hands she waved her fingers out as if saying 'ten score!' as she limped into view, it was a very noticable limp as well. She didn't even flinch when the dead templar was tossed into the haystack with a sickening sound either. She pointed to the building behind her, "In there, on the second floor, its the third door on the left. I need to see Kaedrian before I am able to go up any stairs, and sooner I do the better. My leg is killing me. Don't worry, with your swords you got back, nothing can bother you once you see the person inside." She meant Marions mother. Charity, and their current benefactor, Tiri.

"I'll see you at breakfast at the castle, Elsa's library, we're both expected." Georgina smiled and gave Diana a pat on the shoulder. "Dont worry, relax. Besides, I am quite sure you'll need to sit down or at least take a breather." She started to limp off deeper into the alley before activated a pale gold transport array.

Diana looked to the building behind her, "The Brothel?" She looked confused as her eyebrows furrowed. She then looked back to Georgina, about to ask why she couldn't come with her when the answer was given. "I see. Well, you get yourself fixed up. I'll... I'll meet you at the breakfast." She said, giving her mentor a pat on the shoulder before heading towards the door of the brothel. She opened it up, and was greeted by a few ladies, whom she politely waved away.

After that she moved to the second floor, finding the hallway. She walked down the hall, counting the doors and what she could hear behind each one. First door: Giggling. Second door: The sounds of degredation and lust. Third door: Nothing; quiet chatter, if anything. The whole thing reminded her of what she called home back in England; only a bit more classy. And by a bit, she meant an astronomical difference. No creepy old men hitting on her; no working girls commenting on why she didn't have to work, too. But most importantly, it smelled better. With a sigh, she raised her hand to knock on the door. She blinked a few times, but proceeded to knock anyway before opening the door.

"Hello? Is anyone here? I was told there was someone I needed to meet." She said calmly as she closed the door behind her, and lowered her hood before pulling the scarf down from her face, revealing its fair features to the world.

There was chair behind a neat desk loaded with bills and invoices, yet there was something asleep in it, a large pile of ice making weird tinkling and purring noises as someone stood at the window. watching the street below as several Arendelle soldiers picked up the dead templars and carted them off. "I see you have them back, Samuel is a good curiour is he not ?" Charity smiled and turned to the door as her daughter closed it behind her.

Seeing Marion after over just a month or so, Charity was sad when her last remaining flesh and blood left her side to return to the kingdom they called home for generations, though she smiled brightly and held a letter, the last letter Marion sent to her concerning Mark and Elsa, and their kiss.

Charity smiled again, "Surprised to see me ?" Tiri stirred in the chair, the pile of ice bones murred and rolled over a bit, some snow and ice dangling off the chair like a arm sticking off a bed, it never touched the floor.

Marion's eyes widened. "Mama?" she took a few steps forward, only giving the Ice in the chair a side-long glance before returning her focus to her mother: Charity Wolfe. She then rushed forward and gave her mother a tight hug. "I... I missed you!" she said before nodding, her hands gently touching the handles of her blades. "Yes... Samuel is a good courier. Unfortunately, he fell. The CIA got to him, I... couldn't save him." She said calmly before giving her mother another hug, kissing her mother's cheek.

"How have you been, Mama? And... How's Tiri?" She asked, nodding to the sleeping pile of Ice in the chair.

"Yes its me" Charity said softly as Marion crashed into her giving her a hug. Charity returned the hug just as strongly. Very briefly she shed a tear for Samuel. the poor man, and only a year older than Marion herself! But that did not matter. What Samuel did for them in England could still live on after all. "I missed you too sweetie, I missed you too"

At mention of her name the ice in the chair murred as Tiri's voice was heard grumbling something of 'needing better alarm clocks' before rolling back over and nearly tiping over the chair at the same time.

"We arrived two days ago" Charity said thoughtfully, "Upon arrival at the docks yesterday to unload the second ship of our caravan, the third and last one arrives today, I was given this, but I did not read it until this morning, I was so busy with moving parcels and pakages and settling in" The letter was the last one Marion had sent off through Blackmane. But it never left Arendelle itself as her mother had arrived the morning that Marion had wrote the letter to her informing her of what transpired at the start of the weeklong party with her brother and the Queen's kiss.

Finally the chair Tiri was sleeping in tipped over with a loud THUD and some icy screaming in norse before a bony hand gripped the edge of the desk and Tiri stood up refoming into her human appearance as she stood. The ice made mostly bones before the snow formed her body. her dress was dark silver, her hair brilliant white.

"There must be an easier way of waking up! Now where is my..." Tiri grumbled brushing off her dress and backside a bit before picking up a piece of ice which ended up being her left foot from under the chair by the door. "Aha! there we go! Oh, hello Marion! Or whatever name you're using now, I heard the news that this building was ready for us to use, so... here we are!"

Marion blinked as she saw the letter. "Oh... What do you think of... the news?" she asked, meaning Mark's kissing of Elsa. She then supressed a laugh as the chair fell over and Tiri formed herself into her human form, and gave her a small bow.

"Hello there, Tiri. It's Diana, publicly, or around anyone not Blackmane or Georgina." she said calmly, but with a friendly smile. She looked around the room then, walking around. "Yes, I've heard this was being fixed in private from Georgina, didn't think it'd be another brothel, but..." she shrugged before the sounds of giggling were heard from the other room. "You may want to invest in soundproofed walls." she said.

"Especially since the district is liberated now." She added with a smile. "Unless you can stand working with the sounds of laughter and lust in the background." She shrugged; her trademark Wolfe sarcasm coming into play. She had it, Mark overflowed with it, their mother had it, and it was said that their father had it, too. If he was still alive, anyway.

"I dont know" Charity replied, "After twenty some odd years of listening to it in England, it feels like home you know ?" Though what she couldn't give to be back in their true home in the Wolfe District across the kingdom closer to the castle, she smiled however, the news of her son, and the Queen of all people in the kingdom, sharing a kiss, yes, she wanted grandkids.

"Apparently that's on the agenda" Tiri said taking a seat on the over turned chair before spotting something that apparently hit the ceiling before she set the chair on the desk as she spoke "According to a recent order made through here, soundproofing..." She climbed onto the desk "Is to be on the next delivery, apparently each room will get some of it put in the walls, but not the ceilings or floors. Or doors." Tiri climbed onto the chair standing ever so delicately on the very little balanced thing she grabbed a ice blue bone out of the ceiling before tumbling off the chair, well, hanging onto the ceiling fixure at the same time. Struggling briefly with what was stuck in the ceiling.

Finally the ice bone came loose from the ceiling and after shaking the dust out she slapped the thing back to its proper place, her head, smacking her ear a few times to make sure it was in proper place. After a second she nodded and looked down. "Coming down, look out below! Oh crud..." CRACK "Yeah comin down!" Quickly letting go of the fixture the fixture itself fell from the ceiling like a rock, Tiri had meant to replace it upon arrival, but not that soon

"Little soon in the morning for remodeling is it not ?" Chairty asked the icewraith who landed on the chair in a very unlady like pose, thankfully being made of nothing but ice and snow had its perks and drawbacks. Drawback number one, no internal organs to worry about, perk number one, fireworks were dang tasty!

Marion ignored Tiri's antics and glanced over the orders for the next few weeks. Soundproofing, another wing full of private rooms and sleeping quarters for the girls, kitchen renovations, the works. Looks like the place was going to get a lot classier. Then she saw one thing that made her audibly giggle: Air Fresheners.

After her giggle fit was over she sighed and smiled. "I'm afraid I must leave now, Mama, Tiri. Elsa expects me to be at breakfast in the Library. Head over to Wolfe Manor whenever you want; Mark is in the process of Restoring it to its original glory; the Central and East Wings are almost perfect. Mark just cant decide on which finish to use for the hard-wood floors." She said before smiling, giggling once more and heading towards the door, putting the scarf over her face once more before raising her hood.

"So that's your daughter huh ?" Tiri asked as she watched Marion take her leave, Tiri would indeed be making her rounds in the kingdom that very day to be sure. _Take a peek at the Wolfe Manor, why certainly I believe I will!_ Tiri thought.

"Mhm, she takes after her brother, but yes, she is my daughter." Charity said softly, she gave Marion another hug at the door and smiled as she put on the hood. "You look ever bit like I did when I was on my first contract." She held the door open for Diana. "I will have to sneak home soon to see it. I miss it dearly. Stay safe OK ?"

"I can see why Smauel stuck around as he did all those years back in England, a shame he's deceased. He was a good kid" Tiri mused. She knew of certain ways of possible rezzings, but she dare not try them, besides, she was ice and snow, nothing more.

"I thought you were asleep ?" Charity shot the question in a hilariously sarcasic way.

"I was until Marion showed up! Like I said there's gotta be an easier way of waking up!" Tiri grumbled as the door closed behind Marion and her voice was cut off, a few minutes later and Tiri ended up raiding the kitchen.

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **A few moments later**

 **Elsa's bedroom, just before breakfast**

"I can stop the bleeding, yet the new scars will still remain m'lady, is this acceptable ?" Kaedrian asked, though nobodsy had answered Marks unasked question on again, as it seemed to happen every year, Elsa always sent for Kaedrian before sending for breakfast because of the reopened scars, but each year, until this year at least, fewer and fewer scars reopened, and even less new ones appeared. It seemed the nightmares were fading.

Until this morning. In exactly twenty years when Kaedrian had hoped it would be the last, it ended up most likely being just like the day the horse had bit the Queen, then at the time of the bite, a Princess, just turning seven.

Mark stayed mostly quiet, but after it was done, he smiled, and gently moved a few loose strands of Elsa's hair away from her face before kissing her forehead. "Well then... this has been eventful..." he said, back to his cheery self in an effort to make the Queen smile. "Now how's about we fill that stomach of yours? A Queen needs her strength to enjoy her day thuroughly." He said before standing. "I'll wait for you outside." He said calmly before giving Elsa's cheek another kiss. He then left the room and went to his; putting on the cloak he'd worn all week so far.

He then returned to Elsa's bedroom door, and waited outside for her as promised.

Elsa nodded to Kaedrian, new scars were fine, honestly, she didn't really worry about the scars execept on her birthday. But for the moment it was fine. Mark indeed made her smile however a moment later in his cherry tone. Which was a good thing because her stomach growled and she nodded. "I wont be long, Kai, thankyou Kaedrian. If anything happens I will send for you" The healer soon finished her work and took her leave as Kai stepped from the bedroom as Anna stepped up clearly confused as to why almost all the castle staff were packed at her sisters door as Mark and Kai came out.

Seeing mark as he closed the door with Elsa alone inside, Anna stepped up to him and spoke quietly, "I haven't seen Snowfeather, nor Georgina, is everything set for today ?" They had planned this party for weeks! A surprise party for Elsa, she'd be so fucsed on the Marketplace district that day which gave them time in the castle hall to get it ready for the party that afternoon for dinner.

The planned called for Elsa to be with Mark all day until the appointed time back at the castle, Anna and Kai had planned out everything for the work at the castle while Elsa was with Mark. Presumably on a daylong picnic, just the two of them while Anna and the rest got the kingdom ready for the party.

But there was also the Painter in the throneroom waiting for Elsa for a important panting of her and her father she had asked him for, but which he'd been working on secretly as with the other paintings Mark had requested of him

Mark turned to Anna and blinked a few times. "I thought they would find you...apparently I was wrong." he said with a hushed voice. "If everything is set they should have found you; I'll do what I can to stall Elsa other wise." he said calmly. He thought for a second and held up his open hand. He closed his eyes and appearing in a flash of bronze was his sword in its scabbard; each made of brilliant iDuradaeden/i.

"I'll stall her; have her help me look for this, when everything is ready, come and find me and give it back." He instructed calmly. "Use Ulnaus to find me when it's time." he said softly. "Deal?" he smiled.

Anna stared as the sword matrialised out of thin air in Marks hands. It took a minute before she shut her mouth, she opened it to speak, and like the first time, she couldn't form words. The appearance of the sword just iappearing/i out of thin air was breathtaking! Finally her mouth and brain worked like they should and she briefly squeaked out "That's beautiful!" Before getting herself under control and slowly nodded.

Gently reaching to the blade in its sheath she agreed "Alright, I think that can work, Dont forget the picnic lunch you promised her too! If worse comes to worse, I can also send Snowfeather to find Ulnaus to find you guys." the way Anna held the sword was rather respectful, had she held a sword before, heck yes, she had trained. At least when her mother insisted on it.

She was about to say more when she heard Elsa on the other side of the bedroom door. Quickly ducking off behind a wardrobe as Elsa opened her bedroom door, stepping out in her now slightly darker red ice gown, which even with her hair unbraided was as beautiful as ever. "Are we ready for breakfast ?" It was still an _hour_ to breakfast itself, but there was another painting to present to Elsa

Elsa then saw Mark's attire, all clean and proper, she then noticed his hair, and without thinking it she conjured up another ice blue ribbon and held it to him. "Here, you look much more handsome with this on" Her own hair wasn't braided, deciding against wearing her hair in a braid for once, heck it was her birthday she'd wear her hair as she pleased!

Mark looked at Elsa as she entered from her room, and smiled; he loved the color of her dress and how it contrasted against the rest of her body, hair, and eyes. He playfully puffed out his cheeks when she handed him the ribbon, but regardless tied back his hair with it without a word and without a moment to lose as he turned to provide Anna a chance to scamper off silently.

"Next stop, the throne-room, I believe?" he asked as he offere Elsa his arm and began walking down the corridor. He walked slowly; strolling, really; as to draw out the time they were together, and to allow more time for the surprise party to be set up. He made what most would consider idle chit-chat with Elsa: where he came from, what it was like there, how life with Snowfeather as his primary care-giver was, and even his adopted sisters that he had whilst living with Snowfeather. However, most would consider that small talk.

To anyone who knew Mark in the least, and especially to Mark, this was something he never revealed to anyone without proper reason. It was almost as if he were selling away the secrets of the Wolfe Clan to Elsa's attentive ears for free. However Elsa, being Queen, could find these things out at a mere whim; by simply asking him or Snowfeather, or even Blackmane, for what she was there for.

Mark's tone was gentle the whole time, soothing and happy as he recalled each memory with clarity. It was then they rounded the corner for the throne room and he smiled. "Ah, here we are..." He gave her a quick peck on the cheek before opening the door for her to reveal the painter waiting for them, another protrait covered by cloth ready to be inspected.

Elsa slid her arm into his and started down the hall to the stairs, listening as he spoke of growing up, the place he lived, with Snowfeather as his mother ? That was... interesting, but she didn't question it. For once they were both very happy, it was possibly the first time she had actually heard him laugh from a memory alone, Most of the time when she asked about certain things he went all quiet and moody.

Though one thing was for sure, Elsa never saw, or heard Anna slip away to her own bedroom and hide Marks sword under her mattress.

But now he was happy, sharing memories of growing up in... Cairo ? That was an interesting name to be sure. But she was confused when he was leading her to the throne room ? Weren't they going to breakfast ? She pointed with her free arm to behind them "But, the dining room is that way ?" Meaning breakfast was that way, why were they in the Throne Room ?

They stepped inside and it was revealed of why, the Royal Painter stood waiting, as promised to Mark, and he had another similarily sized painting carefully wrapped for the Queen.

Elsa saw it and briefly stopped, Was that the one she had Mark print out first ? "Is that... for me ?" She asked softly.

Mark nodded. "The Dining room is indeed that way, my Queen." He said softly before opening the door anyway. He turned to watch her expression at seeing the painter with the painting. He smiled. "A few of the pictures you had me print from your... adventures in the Dream world whilst on that RV took a little longer than I expected, but... they're done. At least... this one is." he said calmly.

With that he nodded to the painter, who pulled the cloth down to reveal the painting of Elsa and her father together; moments before the Family Portrait that she also wanted to have painted. Mark placed his hand gently on the small of Elsa's back as he stepped back a half-step, and gave her a very gentle push towards the painting so she could inspect it better, a smile on his face.

After she stepped forward he nodded once more to the Painter and smiled, stroking his beard softly with his right hand while his left supported his other arm at the elbow. "What do you think, my Queen?" he asked calmly.

Elsa's mouth dropped open as she stared at the painting, seeing herself, and her father so lifelike! It was beautifully detailed, she nodded as Mark spoke of the Dream world she had been trapped in. "Yes, I,... a month ago I had remembered it and went to ask to have this one painted. It, It shall hang next to all of us there!" She pointed to the wall right next to her family. The painting she had received two days before hung grandly on the otherwise very bare dark oak wall. The Protrait room was full, this would be the next generation of the royal paintings of her family!

She had forgotten however, just how many paintings she had requested, was it fifteen ? Maybe seventeen ? No possibly nineteen... It was actually seventeen paintings Elsa had Mark print off to get painted. And he had every single one painted

Elsa stepped up to the painting, the paint glittered as if just recently finished, absolutely beautiful, every color, the best possible paints. If only she had more paintings from that dream!

That one of her and Mark together, with her necklace, their necklace held between them, she wanted that one too, but this, this was beautiful! She gave off a happy shout and hugged Mark tightly. OK, breakfast could wait, for now

Mark had to take a step back as she hugged him tightly, since he was a good five feet away, so she had to practically jump at him. He hugged her back and chuckled softly as he did so. He gently lifted her and gave her a spin before setting her down. "I take it you love the painting my Queen?" he asked happily while his hands slid gently down her arms to her hands.

Elsa nodded and gave off a soft giggle as Mark spun her briefly before setting her back down, her hands then in his, Oh man that made her feel good for sure! "We must put it on the wall! Before breakfast! Please ?" She gave a cute look before giggling again and calling for Kai and some of the servants to fetch two ladders and a nail with hammer to hang a painting. She just got a painting, and it was a painting that she wanted on the wall!

Anna came in, acting bleary eyed and tired, when in truth she was actually wide awake the last two hours alone planning her sisters surprise for that evening, "Elsa, why's everyone scampering around getting ladders and tools and such before breakfast ? Muchless what are _you_ doing up this soon before... breakfast ? Is that you and Papa ?" Anna had yet to even learn where rest of the paintings were, she knew where they came from, Mark had explained it to her two days before; but seeing the newest one she had to stare, for a brief second she thought her father home again.

Elsa nodded, "Yes, Its... its a birthday present. I want to get it up where it belongs, on that wall, next to us." the throne room was normally bare of paintings, maybe the Queen's Crest, in this case Elsa's mothers crest hung over the throne room doors.

Anna traded a look with Mark when Elsa's attention went back to surpervising the placement of the new painting. His sword was properly hidden. Though she had to wonder, how many more paintiings were there to be had anyhow ?

Mark nodded to Elsa's request, and helped her supervise, but as Anna came in he blinked and cleared his throat. "Princess Anna... you're not usually up this early either." he said calmly with a tilt of his head. Mark was always up this early, earlier, to be honest, training the new Assassin Recruits in their hand to hand combat skills should they find themselves without any weapons. Usually around breakfast time Mark could be found out in the courtyard feeding the birds that he'd called to him using his talent for mimicry.

He however caught Anna's look and gave a short, small nod that wasn't noticable to anyone else. "Come, Elsa. Surely your stomach is about to rumble from hunger." He said calmly. "Anna, will you be joining us?" he asked. "Or will you be returning to bed? You do seem very tired." He took Elsa's arm in his, entwining his fingers with hers to get her attention.

With her attention focused on placing the painting exactly where it should be she didn't notice anything between Anna and Mark, however she did hear Marks words, normally Elsa was waking up Anna by now to get to the dining room for breakfast. "A little more to the right... ahah, that's it, perfect!" The painting was hung upon the wall where it belonged!

Her attention was then grabbed by Mark, as his fingers entwined with her own she leaned on him, her head to his shoulder, she didn't care if anyone saw her with him now. It was her birthday dangit! When Mark mentioned breakfast and the diningroom she nodded, yes, Breakfast was to be had, and they couldn't exactly eat in the throne room now could they ? "Yes, lets, Anna, come on! You'll miss the fun!" She reached her hand to her sister Nudging Mark with her arm entwined with his, he could escort them both to breakfast!

"Besides, from what it smells like is my favorite breakfast meat too!" Vension was a wonderful morning treat, along with fox, elk, moose and wolf meats too, but nothing beat deermeat first thing in the morning! Execept neatly cooked horsemeat for dinner or a late snack.

Mark felt the nudge and smiled, beginning to walk towards the door that would give them the long way around to the dining room; knowing that the short way would likely be used by people needing to set up the surprise at the end of the day. Along the way he once more delved into his past; the rigors that Snowfeather made him go through in his training compared to what the Assassins use to train their recruits now. He then vocied that he reasoned she did that to him so that one day he could claim his destiny.

Whatever that meant; he went no further with that subject, and if asked he would expertly dodge the question and move on to a different subject, such as what he was currently teaching the new Assassin recruits in terms of physical combat.

"You go on ahead" Anna said seeing how the two were, "Dont let me interrupt, I'll meet you there I need to finish waking up" She cast a very brief glance to Mark as if to say, 'enjoy lunch!' Before leaving the throneroom the faster way to the diningroom to ensure everything was ready, though she failed to notice the third painting to be given to Elsa.

Elsa keopt her head on Marks shoulder as they walked the long way to the dining room, Elsa truly had no idea what a wonderful day she was in for! She listened and absorbed everything he spoke about his past, he mentioned briefly two others he grew up with, sisters ? Mark had sisters ?

As they walked through the halls to the diningroom Elsa asked out of the blue "When do I meet them ?" Meaning his sisters. She was truly curious of who they were as well as what they could do, "Are they Assassin's too ?" He had her on every word, her full attention was on him as they walked through the halls. Where he grew up sounded so lovely.

For a moment she seemed thoughtful when he mentioned his destiny, but she chose not to ask what he meant as he seemed to move onto other things, mostly about his training and things Snowfeather had him do.

A few steps more and they were at the dining room, Two guards, and Kai stood outside, of course Kai waited since the room was in fact ready when he stepped out to let Elsa inside to get to breakfast, and her second gift of the day.

"Your Majesty, Master Wolfe, good morning; our breakfast today is vension, fox, elk and wolf meats, as requested, alcohol free wines were used in their cooking." As Kai spoke the door to the dining room opened allowing them to enter. All that was left was Elsa's favorite drink, Hot Cocoa with lavender!

"Technically; yes. I don't know when you'll meet them; I haven't seen them since I left Cairo." he said softly as they approached the door. He smiled to Kai as he approached them and gave him a nod. As the door opened, he stepped into the dining room; the various smells assaulting his nose as he entered. "Smells lovely..." He said calmly.

Indeed it did smell lovely, they sat down to breakfast, and it was not until after eating did Elsa notice the second painting, or was it the third painting she was to get made ? It didn't matter, like the first two, she had it placed where it properly belonged, the painting was of her and Anna, in the marketplace right before going to the cruise ship in her dream. Just the two of them together.

This was shaping up to be an amazing day indeed!

 _Five hours later_

 _In the hills overlooking the Kingdom of Arendelle_

Mark took her all over the kingdom, differnet places and in each one they stopped at, was another painting, and each one in turn was taken by the servants back to the castle to be properly put into place in the throne room. But this was the best part, Mark seemed excited about what he was going to show Elsa for lunch alone!

Mark stopped at the base of a hill and then looked at Elsa with a smirk; one that rarely came to his face; one that meant one thing: He was gonna pull something devious. With that Mark slipped behind Elsa, and with his fingers playfully jabbed her on her sides to tickle her for a few seconds before hopping away. "Race ya to the top!" He shouted before running up the hill quickly.

Mark's speed hadn't decreased at all since their last race, in fact it'd only increased, of course, there was another surprise at the top of the hill that egged him to go faster so he could beat Elsa to it.

Huh ? Elsa thought, race to the top ? "Hey! Wait! Mark!" Elsa took off after him, since she was bsarefoot she had better traction on the grassy knoll and was only a pace or two behind him before he got to the top ahead of her and she pretty much tackled him from behind for a brief moment going piggyback on his back and bending just a ilittle too far/i forwards to look, though upside down, at him from above, her hair in his face, "I asked you to wait for me! WHOA!" Their balance completely gone Mark flipped forwards, somehow she landed on him.

It was then she spotted... three things. One was a carefully set up picnic spot, and two were... "Are those... ?"

Mark managed to look up before nodding. "Yep! Two more paintings just for you!" He said as Ulnaus arrived, delicately landing on the painting that held Elsa and Ulnaus in it from the dream, wherein she was reaching for him on the ship's bow. He chirped a few times as if to laugh and Mark squawked back. "Darn bird... gotta laugh it up... fuzz ball." He said, gently lifting Elsa off of him so he could sit up comfortably.

The other painting was of Elsa and her Mother alone; the detail impecable, as if she were alive, just on paper. Servants stood nearby of course, waiting for Elsa's signal to take them into the Throne room.

Elsa sat up, for a long moment she stared at the painting, she remembered seeing her mother first, her mother coming to her bedroom and asking if she was all packed and ready for the cruise to go find Anna and meet their parents at the cruise ship dock. Her mother, just as she had dreamed her, was exactly as Elsa remembered ten years before. Before they left on that ill fated voyage.

Finaly she screamed out in joy and spread her arms wide, all but clobbering Mark dead in the face with the back of her right hand {which in fact slammed into his nose in her absolute joy} as she reached over to hug him tightly, she looked up to Ulanus, half tempted to ask the huge eagle to come down and join them. She wanted to hug him too!

But he was acting just like in the painting, preening as if without a care in the world, yet. So beautiful at the same time! Elsa then noticed a bit of something, it wasn't blood, but something else, snot maybe ? On the back of her right hand, did she hit Mark that hard to make him sneeze on her hand ?

Mark was silent as he tried to keep in a shout of pain, his hand going to his nose. "Your...hand is hard, Elsa." He said calmly before looking at her and hugging her back. "Remind me not to anger you...god...ow..." He shook his head and sighed. "Let's just...eat our lunch now, yea?" He asked, gesturing to the picnic basket filled with food and drink.

This day was turning out better then she had hoped! A picnic lunch, and apparently every painting she wanted painting when she was dreaming of them ? They weren't following a string like she had done with Anna, but still; The food smelled amazing just as well. the servants gently took the two paintings to the Throne Room, each painting was set in the room, not yet hung, Elsa was going to surpervise the hanging of each painting herself. But at this moment, she was with Mark. And it was possibly the first time she saw him so relaxed too!

After a wonderful picnic lunch Elsa leaned against Mark, without really thinking what she was doing she took his arm and put it around her, maybe they could relax a little bit ? It wasn't every day she got the cance to just go out of the castle, find a place to sit down, and just, relax. So that was what she chose to do right at that moment. Relax, in Marks arms. Just the two of them.

But there was still one last painting to reveal, Elsa counted sixteen so far, including the last two Mark lead her to. But she had to wonder, what was the last one ? If there was a last one, were these two it ? But she didn't care, she was with Mark, that was what counted!

 **Six hours later**

 **Just before dinner**

It was time to go back to the castle, they'd relaxed the entire afternoon under that tree, just the two of them, no worries, no nothing to make them want to leave their spot, Elsa was curled up against Mark, starting to wake up as the sun began to set. Elsa sat up, had they napped all day ? Either way it was an amazing day to begin with, her paintings she wanted, she had them all, or did she ?

It was time to head back to the castle for dinner, weren't they to have a big dinner to begin with ? It didn't matter, for once she was well rested and quite happy, turning to Mark she shook him "Mark! Come on wake up!"

She was so focused on waking up Mark that she failed to notice two new people arrive on deerback. Muledeer were a whole lot better then horses, they were docile and rarely if at all, bit anyone

After a few shakes from Elsa, Mark's stomach gurgled, and he groaned as he sat up; hungry. He shook his head and blinked a few times before stretching out and yawning a few times. "I'm up..." He mumbled softly, standing up and stretching out his legs before he plopped back onto the ground and sighed. His hair was all messed up again and he grumbled before standing once more, helping up Elsa as he glanced to the two hooded Assassins on their Muledeer who approached.

He untied the ribbon, and his bangs hung in front of his eyes; cutting off his vision as he tilted his head to either side, cracking his neck loudly in order to wake himself up. Aside from the plain white color of the Assassin robes the two wore; Mark couldn't discern anything else from them; gender, rank, age, or who they were.

"I presume you're here to report on a completed mission?" He asked calmly, his almost royal-looking Assassin Coat a stark contrast to their simple white ones.

"You could say that" Said the apparent elder of the two as the two stepped off their two steeds, the muledeer began to graze nearby as they stepped closer, "Mother had a mission for us, by you." They removed their hoods, blazing orange eyes of Serena had a hint of mirth behind them while diamond pink seemed to glow from Serenity's own eyes.

"She told us to report to you when it was completed, since it was you that requested it directly." Serena said to Elsa who once on her feet next to Mark had to wonder why these two removed their hoods, normally this never happened, especially in front of her when a mission was completed

"Mother also told us of your... dance two nights ago too, a shame we weren't here to see it." Serenity said softly, her soft voice belied a strong willed feline woman under it.

"Stop staring Brother" Serena smirked, her orange eyes sparkling brightly, "Say something, or hug us or something!" Apparently the three were a very close knit bunch growing up.

As soon as the first voice spoke a smile split across Mark's face, and he quickly tied back his hair before opening his Brown eyes, a flash of Bronze behind them for a second before he chuckled and ran towards the two, grabbing both of them in a tight hug, and easilly picking them up in his hug before placing them down. "Serena... Serenity... So good to see you again! Oh my dear sisters!" He cried out happily before smiling and releasing them and stepping back.

"I figured Snow would tell you; but... how long have you been working under the Arendelle Assassins?" He asked, confused before blinking and laughing again. "Where are my manners..."

He turned to Elsa. "Elsa, these are my adoptive sisters, Serena and Serenity. We grew up together in Cairo under Snowfeather's mothering gaze." he said, introducing the two to Elsa, and Elsa to the two. He smiled and looked the two up and down briefly before flicking some dust off of Serenity's shoulder. "These cloaks suit you both, dear Sisters." He said with a giddy smile.

He then took another step back and cleared his throat. "Now then... what have you to report?"

Serenity, even though younger of the two yet out of the three the most level headed when it came to missions and the like, couldn't help but give off a chirp of pure laughter as Mark sung them into a hug. Serena too laughed at the reunion, totally worth it too When set back on the ground Serena spoke again "Mother never knew it was us that were sent on the contract either; she figured us two new recruits, never seen in either kingdom before, she was right. But we're not new recruits are we Brother ?"

"Sadly if only it were good news." Serenity said softly towards Elsa, "The Duke was right, only those in power in his country do not suffer, yet those living there are in... let us just say they'd rather live in Arendelle or Oslo rather then Weasltown." Serenity never could properly pronounce Weselton and Serena gave up on correcting her sister. But seeing Elsa give off a soft giggle herself at the intentional mispronouncing of the country she decided to just not worry about it anymore

When Mark introuced them Serena smiled and with a slight bow "A pleasure your highness." She said, and was about to say more when Elsa raised a hand

"No it is alright, in situations like this, when It is not in formality like it will be tonight, you may call me Elsa. otherwise you can refer to me as royalty" She did not like it one bit, the Duke being right, his country was suffering, and his people needed their trade goods. Which sadly was mostly ice, and certain choclates. Now what was that about their own mother not knowing they were in the kingdom ?

"It'll be a surprise then when she finds out you two are here, I'm sure. May get scolded, but..." Mark shrugged. "At least she doesn't slug you guys in the stomach." he patted his stomach before the conversation went a little...south.

He frowned at the report of how bad Weselton was. The Duke told the truth for once...in what Mark had read before it was obvious that the Duke had cheated his way to his position... so this was very serious.

He looked around and blinked. "Well then... it's time for dinner..." He looked around; no Ulnaus, no Anna with his sword either. Stall Mode: Engaged. "I suppose I must... be formal, yea?" He chuckled before he lifted his arms just a tad and took a deep breath, his eyes beginning to glow a bright Bronze as his entire body glowed while his _Duradaeden_ armor appeared on his body. With his eyes glowing, he could see that his sisters were indeed Snowfeather's biological children; the illusion thrown up by their magic renderd useless by the sheer power of Mark's Eagle Vision, but only while it lasted.

Soon the glowing stopped and Mark's full set of armor was on his body; the glowing lines and everything exactly how everyone remembered it from the Dance. Except one thing: His sword. He blinked and looked at his back where the scabbard usually was. "That's weird...where's my sword?" He frowned and appeared to try to summon it; his eyes flashing, along with a flash of Bronze appearing above his palm a few times before he shook his head. "Must be somewhere..."

He simply couldn't make an appearance with a part of his costume missing! It'd be like Elsa showing up without her cape, or corset! Which, (regardless of the cheering of Elsa's admirers, including Mark), would be catestrophic! Plus what if something happened? Mark was good with hand to hand combat, and with any other weapon, but he preferred the reach his sword gave him! He had to find it.

"Um... Serenity, Serena... can you go find Mother and tell her we'll be a little late for Dinner? Elsa and I will find my sword." He said, winking to them. " _I need to keep her stalled until Ulnaus finds me, Anna will know. Enter the palace through the tunnels, and try not to mess up the decorations._ " he added in a dialect that he and his sisters used as children to keep secrets from everyone, speaking it as fluently as if it was his Mother-Tongue.

Seeing how Mark reacted to not having a certain weapon made the two girls a bit confused, but Elsa noticed it missing "I thought you had it with you this morning when we were in the kingdom ?" She asked, she could have sworn she saw it on his back, she went over to the place they had relaxed against the tree and began searching

The two girls, both of whom Mark could see had feline like features under their makeup and whatnot, traded looks, as if asking each other 'is he OK ?' before turning to their brother, "I think six eyes are better then four" Serenity said as her elder sister nodded, the twins, though almost identical aside from their eyes and voices, worked together on every contract, just like their mother and aunt did. Sometimes going so far as trading places

"I will go find mother and report to her that we reported to you, I wont let me be known to her that I'm her elder daughter just yet, we planned that for dinner tonight. Do find your sword Mark, you dont look right without your perferred weapon" Serena said, once again giving a slight bow to Elsa she went back to her muledeer and once upon it, rode off towards the Kingdom, leaving her younger twin, her brother, and soon, {she hoped} to be sister-in-law, after hearing about the kiss, it was sure to come, a ring, or more.

Serenity smiled and nodded at her sisters words. "She's right Brother" She said softly, her pink eyes however held something of more news, news for his ears alone. " _I found... someone important to Elsa_ " She said in their dialect they used as kids, it was second nature really to speak it. She reached to Mark and took him a few paces off as Elsa was searching where they had laid that afternoon for Marks sword " _A woman from Arendelle, I fear it is the Queen, her mother, was in the dungeons used in Weasltown, she had with her a child, underfed, possibly ill. looked quite strange too, with wings of untarnished silver_ " she detailed the woman, it matched what Elsa had shown Mark in her journal the night of their dance and kiss

Mark gave a nod to Serena and a smile before stepping aside with Serenity. He listened to her words and bit his bottom lip hard; almost enough to make himself bleed. He let out a sigh and shook his head. " _Best we save this news for much later; the last thing we need is Elsa worried sick; making wrong decisions and getting Arendelle into a war it isn't ready to fight._ " he said in the dialect, speaking from past experience, it seemed from a long time ago. " _Until then; pretend you found nothing; preferably don't report it to Mother; or to Auntie._ " he added before smiling and giving her one more hug.

"It is good to see you again...really. Now then, let's find my sword." he said simply before looking around, his eyes flashing Bronze as he used his Eagle Vision to search for the glowing of his sword. "Hmm...I think I remember having it out by Wolfe Manor, yes I'm sure I did!" he said. With that he would keep Elsa busy for at least another fourty five minutes as they raced back and forth throughout the city "looking" for his sword.

Eventually Ulnaus would show up and Mark would stop, kicking a stone off to the side; this was where Anna was to "find" him, with his sword. He shook his head and sighed heavilly, leaning against a wall as he looked utterly defeated by the fact that he couldn't find, nor summon his sword.

It took them back to the Wolfe Manor, known offically now as the Heart of the Wolfe Destrict thanks to Elsa making an offical behind closed door meeting concerning it. In the front room she paced, where could the sword be. Serenity had long since left to report to Snowfeather of her return, but not before having a few words with her younger brother.

Serenity nodded to Marks words " _I agree, as does the woman held with the child, she pressed upon me to give this to Elsa, tomorrow morning, she'll know what to do. Dont worry, Aunt Blackie wont know a thing! Nor will Mother_ " Serenity had a letter for Elsa from her mother, only this time it concerned the importance of the Shroud and what it could do and what it was rumored to do. It wasn't signed with anything more then the same crest that was given to Sam Green for his orders.

She nodded then, "Yes, lets try and find your sword. Without it, you're what the americans call a 'sitting duck'" yes, the girls had been to America, and honestly, Serenity hated it there, mostly because of how it was to outsiders, but then that did not matter much anymore to her. She was in Arendelle, where she belonged. But it was close to an hour later when she had to take her leave and report to Snowfeather of her return. though she promised to see them at dinner that night

About twenty minutes after Serenity left, Anna came running up, with her was thankfully not Olaf for the moment, but about a dozen snowgies, and they all carried a brozen glowy thing "Aha! There you two are!" She said upon seeing her sister and possible future brother in law inside the front lobby area of the Wolfe Manor. "Mark! This thing glows! Why'd you leave it in the throne room again ?! It scared the living daylights out of Kai!"

Mark turned to Anna, and blinked a few times before a happy smile came to his face. "My Sword!" he picked it up and drew it half-way to inspect it for a second before sheathing it, and slinging it over his back where it belonged. "Gah, I left it in the Throne Room again?!" He shook his head and grumbled to himself in Arabic; words Elsa wouldn't understand despite his teachings.

He nontheless smiled and gave Anna a small bow. "Thank you, Anna. You've saved me." it was then that Ulnaus screeched softly, and pounced on a rat that was skittering across the courtyard before swallowing it whole easilly. That sight made Mark remember what time it was; and his body acted accordingly; his stomach growling loudly. "I suppose we must get to Dinner now!" He said, a bit embarrassed about his stomach's demonstration of a Whale's Mating call.

Elsa's gaze was taken from admiruing the pure beauty that went into the Wolfe Manor to her sister as she came running up, with a dozen snowgies in her wake, Oh great. Elsa put her hand to her temple and rubbed her forehead a bit, When was the last time she had made the snowgies ? Oh yeah, her sisters birthday, when she saw they had the sword, and that it was in the the _throne room_ made her confused. "It was in the throne room ?" She asked confused.

But before Anna could answer, Ulnaus had screeched and divebombed a rat, which didn't stand a chance and compared to the massive eagle, was a flea really. Which prompted Elsa to ask, "Has he been fed recently ?" Either they had to find Ulnaus a horse to munch on, or find a Templar Patrol quick.

Yeah it was dinner time, Anna threw Mark a look, everything was ready for the surprise party for Elsa.

This was going to be the best birthday party ever!

At the question of Ulnaus being fed recently, Mark shrugged. "He feeds himself." he said calmly before catching the look from Anna and smiling. "I'm starving; come let's eat." he said calmly, beginning to walk towards the Castle quickly while Ulnaus pounced on more rodents in the courtyard.

It was when they reached the corner that would lead them to the bridge leading to the castle that Mark came to a stop and reached into his coat. "Now then...Elsa. I'm going to ask you to put this on..." He said calmly; holding a blindfold up from one of his pockets. "Trust me." He gave her a smile. He knew Anna was going to insist as well that Elsa put on the blindfold.

Once it was on, Mark took Elsa by the arm and chuckled. "Now, no peeking, or you'll ruin it." He said. Come to think of it...most of the streets were empty.

When they were almost to the castle when Mark stopped, it was only a few more feet! Why were they stopping ? Wasn't his stomach just making the 'feed me' notice ? Wait, what ? Blindfold ? She cast her gaze to Anna, who impishly nodded.

OK. She let Mark put it on her, then guide her by the arm, she was barefoot, and oddly, even the bridge felt like woodfloor underfoot as Mark lead her along! She trusted he wasn't going to lead her into the fjord, but why was the bridge so smooth ? She couldn't hear anyone else, the occasional shop bell going off as someone was shopping, otherwise all was oddly quiet..

Why was that ?

What was going on ?

These questions were going through her head as they walked along, Mark leading her by the arm, unlike how Anna all but mated Kristoff with a lamppost the year or so before when Elsa thawed out the kingdom.

They came to the castle gates, which were closed but Elsa, with her eyes covered, couldn't tell. As much as she wanted to see where she was going she had to try and figure it out herself, Which didn't work as she had no idea where she was with the blindfold on, which way was north ?

As they stopped at the gates, Mark was sure there was no way she could see anything. "Okay Elsa. The gates are in front of you. Anna and I are going to go through. I want you wait ten seconds, then take off the blindfold and open them yourself." He said calmly, giving her cheek a peck before silently opening the castle gate, and letting Anna through.

"Ten seconds begins...now." he closed the gate and got into his position as the rest of the kingdom eagerly awaited Elsa's opening of the gates.

Ten seconds ? Ten seconds yes she could do that. Oh she wanted to do it sooner. But nevertheless. She counted slowly to ten. _One,... two... three..._ She was somehow confused, _five,... six..._ why count to ten ? Wait what was going on ? Sure it was her birthday and all but... no that couldn't be it they had a picnic on the hill! _nine..._ could it ?. _.. ten!_

Elsa removed the blindfold from her head. Mark was right, she stood outside her castle gates. But everything was so eirily quiet. She mentally steeled herself, taking a deep breath. OK, so. she had to open her castle's gates ? What could be so hard about that ? She reached up both hands and gave a gentle push on the gates to open them. a small gust of wind and a Snowgie landed at her feet from atop the castle gate in question, quickly putting himself back together Elsa pushed the gates open the rest of the way after picking up the snowgie.

And stared.

Everyone was waiting, for her.

Everything remained silent for a tense five more seconds before everyone, all at once, shouted "SURPRISE!" and "HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOUR MAJESTY!" at the top of their lungs, fireworks went off, people cheered, Ulnaus Screeched louder than ever before, and Mark stood with a smirk on his face as he stood in the center; one last painting behind him with a silver cloth covering it. He stood with his arms crossed and weight on his left leg as he gave Elsa his signiture smile. His armor glowed beautifully and the lines danced upon its surface.

Once Elsa was close enough he spoke; raising his hand to quiet the cheering people. "We've many gifts left to give you; but this is perhaps the most important in my eyes." He said calmly as he reached back and grabbed the cloth, and with a great pull, revealed the magnificent painting of him and Elsa alone in her dream; connecting their necklaces just before they awoke. The whole thing was perfect; better than what she'd seen in the Dream, even thanks to a secret technique the Royal Painter used that was passed down from Master to Apprentice, and never to anyone else, getting better with each generation.

"Happy birthday, my Queen." He said before giving her a low bow, right hand closed in a fist over his heart, and weight balanced on his feet, which were snapped together. Only later would Mark realize the significance of this bow and gesture.

Seeing everyone in the kingdom packed into the Courtyard for _her_ birthday meant a lot to the young Queen of Arendelle. It was wonderful she had no idea what to say! So Anna ran up, grabbed her sister by the hand, and with some of the citizens of Arendelle, pulled Elsa into the party made for her.

The kingdom rejoiced then, Elsa was too happy to even respond, rather then say anything to the many children, mothers, fathers and teens and elders who wished her a happy birthday, Elsa simply gave them all a hug until she got to Mark.

When Mark revealed the last painting she stared, a hand to her mouth in at first shock, then she smiled as Mark bowed to her, the kingdom stood in awe at the painting, how perfect it was. It was cleaner then her dream for certain! The painting was so beautiful! Exactly how she remmebered it, the necklace she had worn in the dream to unlock it, he just held it up between them!

It was then when she did something nobody expected. She stepped next to Mark, stood him upright, and planted one hell of a kiss on his lips as the kingdom cheered. Out of the corner of Marks eye however three people could he see clearly, his adopted mother, Snowfeather, a smile on her face, and his adopted sisters, Serenity fistpumping happy to finally see her brother get someone wanting him for once.

Elsa spoke softly amid the cheering of her kingdom to Mark, "This is the best birthday ever!" She said happliy while giving him a tight hug

Mark's face turned bright red as Elsa planted that kiss on him, and at first his body language suggested surprise; but it quickly relaxed and embraced Elsa in a hug as he returned the kiss; his face returned to its normal color however quickly before long as Elsa broke the kiss. He smiled and winked to Elsa. "The party's only just begun, my Queen." He said calmly, kissing her forehead gently before speaking up.

"Bring forth the cake!"

With that a team of chefs brought in a massive cake on a cart; decorated with everything they knew Elsa loved; the assassin crest, Arendelle's colors made up the frosting, And a Snowflake adorned the top. Mark drew his _Duradaeden_ sword, the blade gleaming in the light of the courtyard, the edge sharp enough that one could cut themself with a mere graze across their person.

Mark twisted it and held the handle up to Elsa. "Of course, who else but the queen, should cut the first slice?" He asked loudly, which promped another cheer from the kingdom.

"Go on, Elsa... don't cut yourself." He said, adding the last part softly to tease her; and as a warning due to how sharp the blade actually was.

At Marks actions one person was confused, in this case his adopted Mother, Snowfeather, her mouth agape as she watched. "Is he actually gi..." She started to say before one of the two white robed Recruits standing with her, covered her mouth and nodded.

"Yes, he is. This is the safest place in the kingdom." Serena said as her sister removed her hood.

"Besides" Serenity said softly to her mother "With us watching him, who could get close enough to harm him ?"

Snowfeather stared at her younger daughter as Serena removed her own hood. Rather then speak right away she drew both girls into a hug; tomorrow she'd repremand them, but until then. It was a party to be had

Elsa raised an eyebrow, Cake ? They were having a cake too ? Wait, what ? _That was the cake ?_ Elsa stared at the truly massive birthday cake that was brought out. It had a beautiful snowflake on the top, her own design of course, the twelve pointed thing was beautiful atop the cake, which she saw was adorned with the Arendelle colors, and the Assassin's crest, and her corcus flower pattern as well. It was not as elaborate as Anna's birthday cake a few years before, but still. This was well worth it!

She stared at him, he was giving her his sword to cut the cake with ? He rarely let anyone touch the thing! Execept maybe her and maybe Anna ? Elsa couldn't remember, did Anna actually handle the weapon before ? Elsa had picked it up once or twice, but she never actually used it to cut anything. She gave him a look when he said not to cut herself with it. The weapon felt wierd in her hand, oddly so, like it was unbalanced or something, yet it was light as a feather in her hands.

She was to cut the cake ? What about dinner ? So she asked then "Before I cut the cake, what about dinner ? Perhaps I can cut both ?" She meant the huge as hell Horse on the spit nearby that was ready to serve and not yet cut. But if she was to cut the cake, she could do that too.

But when every one cheered at the thought of Elsa cutting the cake and not the dinner, she figured, what the heck, Carefully she took the blade as the cake was brought to a large table. The blade glittered with the firelight around the courtyard, gently she used the tip of the blade to carve a proper slive of cake. The sweet smell of chocolate filled her senses as the blade cut without any force against it into the massive desert leaving faint traces of frosting on the blade tip as she withdrew a slice seated perfectly on the sword's tip.

A somewhat silly thought hit her then, she figured, why not ? "Since I cut the first slice, I think it fitting that Mark gets the first bite ?" She had a broad happy smile on her face as she held the sword towards him, cake and tip first.

Mark was absolutely calm as Elsa held the tip of his weapon towards him; though internally he was freaking out due to how sharp he knew he made the darn thing. He gently reached up and took the piece of cake from the tip of his blade, and with a bow of his head, he took a huge bite of the piece. He savored the piece and swallowed slowly before smiling, and holding up the peice as if in victory. He then offered the side he did not bite from to Elsa; so she could have the second bite.

"I think the chefs have captured literally everything you love; including the flavor, my Queen." he said calmly.

Elsa smiled and held the sword, hilt first, towards Mark, the way she held it though made everyone wonder, why was she holding a sword by its tip and not bleeding ? But with the joy of the party, nobody gave it much thought if that, they were rejoicing too much! Elsa opened her mouth and let Mark feed her the piece he still had left. He was right, the chefs captured everything she loved!

Now it was time for dinner as Elsa's stomach growled loudly! "Could someone be so kind as to feed the Queen ?" Anna called out, hearing the rumble of her sisters stomach, it made Elsa giggle a bit, yeah well, sure could someone feed me ? Elsa thought. Her eyes locking on Mark though she saw out of the corner of her eyes as Kristoff approached Anna with something in his hand

From what Elsa could see, it was a _proper_ engagement ring.

And seeing her sister happy made Elsa smile then. For once, all was right with the world! Elsa though smiled all the more when she heard Anna's happy scream and pretty much frenchkiss Kristoff dead on, though when Elsa later saw the ring on her sisters finger she knew her sister had the right man for her. A man that stood by her to find her! With that thought in her mind, Elsa pulled Mark into a hug as the kingdom cheered, and the dinner, a massive massive horse, was served to everyone present, Apparently there was evne enough left over for breakfast the next day, which made Elsa happy

 **MEMORY SYNC COMPLETE, SEQEUNCE 5 COMPLETED**


	23. Seqeunce 6 Memory 1

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 6**_

 _ **Memory 1: Trade Deal**_

 **22 December 2051**

 **Marketplace Assassin Den**

 **Study**

 **An hour before breakfast**

Snowfeather paced in the study, three people were with her, her adopted son, and both ofher daughters. How could she bring her foot down on their work, when they did it so perfectly ? The two girls stood, hoods down, in their mothers study, Mark near the door. Snowfeather paced before finally stopping, with a grunt of a sigh she spoke. "I thought I told you not to follow us to here, it is too dangerous!"

"Yes Mother, you did say just that." Serena said calmly. "But it was not our choice to come here, yes we wanted to come here to be with you and Mark again, but we were given no other options when our contracts in Cairo were completed"

"No other choice ?" Snowfeather repeated, turning to her children, a confused look on her face. "Explain." She gave her girls a hard look.

"Mentor Alaion said that our contracts were done, we were to come to Arendelle on the first ship north" Serenity replied softly, she never spoke sternly with her mother nor did she ever raise her voice to begin with. She always spoke in soft tones

"Alaion the fool. He is no mentor! But a cutpurse!" Snowfeather wasn't happy."Leaving Cairo was possibly the worst thing you two could have done. Is it free completely of templar influence ? Did you secure the holdings the Brotherhood has there ?"

"Yes, after our last contract we shipped out, to here. We came on the last ship, two days ago, a shame we did not get here three days ago, we would have much liked to see Mark with Elsa and their first kiss" Serenity said softly in reply.

Snowfeather had to calm herself, yes, there was that. She smiled and nodded. "Yes, what would have been the odds of that ? The Queen of Arendelle in the arms of an Assassin." Snowfeather had to give it to Mark, he knew how to make a proper impression. "I think it makes up for making her uncomfortable last year when you first met her too" She said

Serena cast a look to her brother, "You made Elsa uncomfortable ? How ? As far aswe know, any girl in Cairo and America would fall for you within a heartbeat! How did you make Elsa nervous ?"

Mark was silent for a majority of the conversation; and when the fact that he had made Elsa uncomfortable when they'd first met he blinked and bit his bottom lip. He would have hoped that was unnoticed...Drat. Quick Mark think of something... He stood there for a good minute with the eyes of his adopted family staring at him. "I...Um... The woman's drop-dead gorgeous...can't help it if I stare..." He crossed his arms and looked away like an upset child.

"Pretty sure my beard hadn't fully developed then either...or my hair...or...um...Don't slug me again, Snow..." he said, glancing to Snowfeather.

Serenity giggled softly as Mark bit his lip "You're doing it again, he's doing it again. See, Serena! I told you he'd do it again!" Somehow these two had a bet going, "Biting his lip when you look at him!" Yeah they had a bet going.

"I'll pay you later sis" Serena mumbled before her eyes went to her mother, before Serenity then asked

"So its true you had nothing to do with Momma getting a dip in the fjord on arrival?" OK, how the fuck did they know that ?! Snowfeather at that question raised a confused eyebrow, what were her girls on about ? Amazingly, both she and Serena missed the spark in Serenitys eyes

The biting of the lip soon turned into a frown. "Me? Why I'd never have something as horrendous as having our dear mother thrown into the fjord!" He said in an over-dramatic way; which was a long way of saying "Yep; my idea." His eyes traveled to his adopted mother; trying to read her to see whether or not he should start running.

"Well, we know now that one of us cant swim without causing quite a ruckus... OW HEY! SERENA! THAT HURT!" It was one of the few times Serenity's voice got several octaves higher then normal, almost full blown claws on blackboard, to the point wherein even Snowfeather's ears were flat to her skull. Serenity held her cheek where it was sure to bruise as her sister slugged her dead on without warning whatsoever. Just as fast as their mother when she slugged Mark in the stomach

Serena tried to remain calm as she explained what happened on their arrival, she too had taken a dip in the drink, and Serenity had sworn it was not her doing either. and it actually kinda was and kinda wasn't at the same time. yes it was her idea, but she never carried it out.. Apparently the ship turned and Serena didn't go with it. Sometimes you gotta hold onto the prow

"Thankfully we managed to grab her with a trailing line before she fell behind at Blackrock Point" Serenity explained. She astill had the sparkle in her eye though, one that matched Mark's own. But Snowfeather couldn't figure it out one bit.

As his sister's voice rose a few octaves Mark zoned out; his ears ringing and his eyes foggy. Suddenly his entire body locked up in a T-posed state and began to float upwards, as he let out a choking, gagging-like sound from his throat, his eyes glowing fiercely as his armor glowed just as fiercely.

His vision blacked out for a good second before he could see again. What he was seeing was simple: A cell similar to what Elsa described in her dream, a woman tending to a sick, winged child, but there was a new development: A man. A man in a black overcoat that covered his entire body until his shins; which were also dressed in black heavy slacks and black boots.

"So this is the child." The voice was booming, yet extremely gentle. "Pathetic." He faded through the bars as he stepped forward, reaching forward to grab the child. Elsa's mother made a move to stop him, butbefore she could, there was a scream; tendrils emerged and restrained Elsa's mother as the scream was silenced by the man gripping the child's neck harshly; and lifting her up.

"You are the spawn of my great enemy...call her here. Now!" He snarled; his voice echoed by a million screams; his eyes glowing crimson. After a few seconds he growled as if he were a feral beast and he flung the child to the ground, the Darkness in the room falling upon his form, allowing him to vanish with out a trace.

The vision then faded, and with it the glow from his eyes and armor vanished as well; and he was rather uncermoniously dropped to the ground; landing on his hands and knees as he bagan to cough up a lung; cold sweat running down his body as his armor vanished immediately, and his body shook like a leaf; a look of terror in his eyes as he looked around after falling onto his side and curling up into a ball in a vain effort to try and get warm. His hair had fallen apart as well; hanging everywhere it wanted instead of being kept back neatly by the ribbon. In fact, the ribbon had melted. Tears streamed from Mark's eyes as he occasionally let out a squeak or quick yipe of pain.

Then fast as lightning he got to his feet and turned, slamming his fist into the wall; the wall denting and cracking outwards from his fist as he did so. After the punch he fell back to his knees; no longer... horrified and shaking; but weak as he fell once more onto his side before rolling onto his back; breathing hard and deep.

"What... what the fuck..." was all he could wheeze out.

When Marks armor appeared in brilliant brozen light only Serenity could actually see his expression thanks to her own feline gifts. It did not take long however before she turned away at the brightness. Snowfeather and Serena failed to see what was happening and were momentarily blinded until a moment or so after the brillience went away. Serenity stared at her brother's action. Had he seen something ? She'd never seen him that freaked out before, and then going from freaked out to somewhat homicidal maniac that the Templars feared when he struck the wall so har he cracked the cement and rock.

Only thing Snowfeather noticed was that the ribbon was gone. But she knew Elsa could make another one. "Mark ?" Snowfeather asked, gently, which was odd even for her, nudging him with her bare clawed foot. "Are you alright ? You look like you have seen a ghost, or worse." The last time she had seen Mark with tear streaks on his face was when he was a child and she had to care for him a for a week.

Serena crouched down to the remains of a small pile of ice. What had been the ribbon in her brothers hair. She poked at it, it sparked in response before turning to dust. As if it was melted on command, which it was, as the last reaches of Elsa's magic was recalled from the ribbon to her own hands again ? Of course it wouldn't be seen until breakfast in twenty or so minutes.

Snowfeather could see her son was distressed, "a moment" she said giving a look to her girls before going into the study closet, going through a folder she found what she sought. Going back to the others she held out a small mission folder "Mark, I want you to do one thing in order to clear your head, you're in no fit state to see Elsa any time soon. So, until the tasks in this folder are completed at the desired location; you are not to see Elsa in any manner, should she come here looking for you, I will merely say you are indeposed and will see her as soon as you are able, aha, dont say no. This will clear your head." iI hope/i Normally going on a local contract away from everyone helped Mark refocus. But Snowfeather could itell/i that Mark both wanted to see Elsa, but also did not want to go near her because of something that had occured "Understood... son ?" Snowfeather asked.

Serena gave a look to her sister and mother, and also a sympathetic look to her brother before heading to the kitchen to get something to eat

"I'm fine..." He lied; looking to Snowfeather as he shook once before rolling to his stomach, where he then helped himself up to his feet, opening and closing his hand that had slammed into the wall; the knuckles popping themselves back into place and going back to normal. His hand wasn't broken; but it sure would be sore later. Mark wiped his hands on his cloak before taking the mission folder from Snowfeather; his eyes beginning to relax as he scanned it. Clear out a Templar Hideaway? No problem. The location...Blackrock Point. Easy enough to get to. There were other tasks as well; set alight the flame; capture the captain alive for interrogation; and one last one: Meditate. He blinked a few times at that one; but it vanished before could verify it was there; his mind wasn't done playing tricks on him yet it seemed. But Meditating sounded...great. He'd light the flame, then meditate for the remainder of the day on what he'd seen.

He sighed softly before nodding to Snowfeather. "Yes...I understand, mother." he said softly before taking a deep breath and letting it out. With that he raised his hood and his armor and sword appeared on his body once more. He then lowered his hood now that he was sure that his armor wouldn't get it caught when he needed it. he then grabbed his bangs and, using his Sword, cut them before discarding them into his pocket; having the feeling that he would need them later. He put away his sword and rolled his fingers; opening and closing his fingers and wave-like pattern, the claws of his gauntlets gleaming in the light. His eyes flashed bronze for a second before he shook his head and looked up at Snowfeather, pulling her into a tight hug.

"Make sure Elsa's happy while I'm gone...tell her...something; don't let her worry about me." he said shakily to all three of them before raising his hood and leaving the room.

"I can tell her" Serenity said softly, somehow she felt it was her fault what just had happened to her brother. But then again, the way her own mother reacted to her raising her voice... yeah, something happened and it wasn't exactly her own fault. In their own dialect she then asked i"Anything important you want her to know ? Or should I simply say you were given a contract and could not back out ?"/i Hey, when their own iMother/i gave them contracts there was no way in hell they could back out from them. Serenity smiled and opened the door for her brother and watched him disappear into the crowded streets of Arendelle. Try as she might, she still couldn't figure out how he disappeared into a crowd so easily, so quickly.

 **22 December 2051**

 **Weselton**

 **Duke of Weselton manor**

 **Just after breakfast**

"This is unacceptable! And you know it!" A stack of papers slapped the coffee table as the Duke stood from the sofa and started pacing, The news from the lack of imports, and the ability to export to Arendelle, and from there the rest of the world, was just unacceptable to the man. Taking off his toupe he rubbed his bald head before slapping it back on and pacing once again. "Seven days to wait on word from Arendelle in terms of a possible trade agreement once again reached. Why did I agree to it ?" Hans smirked and took a sip of his wine, his wife stood in the doorway, her bare, scarred arms crossed, black eyes glowering at those in the room, exzecept her husband of course, Princess Sonya of Southton had married Prince Hans of the Southern Isles, which was commonly known as Denmark at that point.

The other two in the room aside from the three humans were a young woman and young man, they looked like twins, acted like twins, and quite possibly had the love/hate relationship of twins, the fact they constantly bickered was one thing that tipped off the Princess. But what the two were, were really part of a clutch of five dragon hatchlings. Guests along with a more powerful guest it seemed. In fact compared to the Princess, these two twins, out of five, were in fact older then her in experience alone. But otherwise they acted like three year olds fighting over dinner. "Will you relax ?" Sonya said to the Duke, her tone making it clear, she had yet to eat and was already in a bad mood. "Its just a trade agreement, waiting is unwanted yes, but... nesseccary. Its just a matter of inconvient timing. That's all"

"You will get your trade, Duke. Don't you worry about that." someone entered the room from seemingly no where; the darkness, if anything. It was the well dressed man from the Party who had adressed the Duke before approaching Arendelle's courtyard. The military General with the blood red details. He ignored the bickering young ones as he approached; hands behind his back. "The queen of Arendelle is a kind woman; however she is also very perceptive. No doubt she knows exactly what is going on in your ... Kingdom." He said the last word with a bit of distaste; which made the two young ones snicker and whisper amongst themselves; which almost immediately made them start bickering again.

And bicker the two did! "yeah sure" Said the male, a smirk on his face "Like this place is a kingdom!"

"Ha! Kingdom ? More like what's left of one! Hey watch it!" The female said as her brother pretty much clamped a hand over her mouth

"Besides, if you guys can afford soldiers like the bums you had a few years ago, OW! HEY NO BITING!" the male wrenched his hand away as his sister looked quite smug before he was about to slug her before he calmed down, "I think you guys could have a right track of a trade deal."

"Whats all the fuss about this trade deal anyhow ?" For the female it was more mumbo jumbo that she couldn't follow before her head started swimming.

The Duke spluttered at the question before turning on the man in red and black, the general appearing fellow. "What do you know about that ?!" He had no idea exactly what he was asking either, To calm himself he then asked "So, how are our guests this evening ?" The question was to Sonya, who was entrusted the 'care' of certain geusts in the dungeon. One of them a freakish thing, a child, cared for by a woman the Duke would rather forget about completely.

The room went black.

There was a snarl before light returned; and another man had appeared, the man from Mark's vision, grabbing both of the children by the hair while the Black-Suited General knelt before him. There was a hiss before he rather uncermoniously tossed the children back into their seats. Their father; one could assume.

"My Lord...We were not expecting you so ea-"

"Silence." the man said; voice booming, and shaking the walls with how deep it was. He turned to face the Duke; blood red eyes glaring at him. "The ones you call your guests are fine; but if you wish to continue to have them; feed them. Starving them will only kill them; and you will loose your leverage." He said.

"You will need the proper guards now that Arendelle is taking itself back. My Kingdom can provide you with ...guards. For your pitiful excuse for a fortress. Guards beyond imagination; ones that strike terror into those who see them. Ones that will answer to you and you alone." He began to extend a deformed, scaled, clawed hand covered in ancient scars towards the Duke. "What say you, Duke of Weselton?" He growled out with a smirk.

It was now that the shadows in the room began to sway back and forth as if in a trance. "You will decide now; or be forever open to annihilation."

The two twins stopped their bickering at the snarl, "Well, there ya go Sis, got Papa all... OW!" what he was trying to say was 'got Papa all mad again, nice going stupid' but when he saw Taris also get grabbed by the hair just as he was and rather tossed to their seats, the sofa Taris landed on flipped backwards ontop of her. It made the boy snicker, ah yes, the runt geting the brunt of the punishment, such was their family to begin with.

"Arendelle does not know that I have them." Sonya replied calmly, the smug look on her face replaced by one of a raised eyebrow and a smirk towards her husbands reaction to the sudden blackness and wondering why his shirt was wet when he missed his mouth and the wine poured out. "At least not yet." For one, Sonya respected the man in black, and for another, she admired him greatly. Whereas her husband thought her insane to trust such a creature. Though one thing always confused her, she never knew this mans name.

The Duke however was thoughtful as Sonya spoke, the man was right, starve their guests and they had a problem, Iduna was his only leverage against Arendelle, capturing her and replacing her body on that ship so long ago was perfect! "I agree, feed them, care for them, whatever you have to do, do it." He went whjite as a sheet however just thinking of the child, the freaky winged little girl no older then about ten or so years of age. That was what was in that weird frozen block of rock his men had found a decade and a half before while fishing

"The dungeon is hardly the place for a former queen, for a freak of nature we know nothing about, sure its perfect with regular set feedings, but for a former queen with the same setup, no" Hans said thoughtfully

"Then what do you suggest dear ?" Sonya asked her husband

"Simple, put them both where people wont notice or care, in this case the dungeon is out of the question, put them in a guest room at the palace at home ? They can be cared for, and kept watched over. besides, we ship them there tonight, they will be there by dawn, and nobody will even know they arrived there or even departed from here during the night." Hans said Sonya nodded, her husbands plan made sense.

The Duke turned to the man in black, "These... guards... they will take orders from me ?" After all this was his place. And he was the Templar Grand Master of the Northern Sceptre as well.

The man in black nodded to the Duke's question; ignoring all other words. His lip twitched, the black slits that formed his pupils narrowing as he stared at the Templar Grand Master. "Do you accept?' He asked once more. His scared, clawed, scaled hand twitched, but remained out to shake. The General remained kneeling behind the man in black, absolutely still, awaiting his Master's command.

The Duke smiled, "Yes, I accept" He then shook the mans hand firmly. he paid no attention to the General on one knee, but the two twins seemed to calm down a lot more then he had expected. Why were those two there to begin with anyhow ?

Sonya nodded, "If I am not needed, I shall see that our gusts are made ready for transport." She took a small bow towards her frenemy, the Duke and left the room. Better him dealing with her then those she admired. truly. It was not every day when a Shadow makes a deal with a mortal, And for what ? To get back at a country and kingdom for ousting one so long ago. It did not make much sense to Sonya, but when the woman had struck the deal, all Sonya wanted was the money that was sure to come from it; who cared that she was a Princess, there was only so much money one could get in that, but, holding a former queen... yes, the ransom from that little gift, was indeed well worth the trouble

But it was as she left when a messenger scrambled into the room, he looked... scared was not the right word, nor was freaked out, more like completely shitless about what news he had to tell. Sonya looked to the clock and noted the time, it was nearly noon, past the morning tea. Ah fuck, she missed morning tea!

The man looked a complete wreck, after all he had run, and yet the info he did not want to give, well, he was freaked out, beyond freaked out. Hans gave a odd look to the man, "What hole in the wall did you fall out of ?" He said out of the blue. Waving off his hand he said "No matter, speak, what brings you here in such a hurry, and... not exactly presentible" Hans heard his wife give a soft giggle at the mans manner of dress, he looked as if he'd been through a weedwacker marathon. Not excactly presentible normally meant 'tell your messege while making sure your last will and testament were ready',

The messenger took a moment to gather his breath before speaking. "Blackrock point...being...mercilessly attacked...barely any left..." he coughed. "It's...the one...the one they call The Scorpion." At those last two words the man in black let out a vicious Snarl and wheeled around; back-handing the messenger across the face towards the wall; from which Tendrils jutted out like whips.

"You dare say that name around me; insolent stain!" He growled like a feral animal. He turned towards the Duke and with a twitching lip, forced a smile. "Allow me to introduce your new guards." He snapped his scaled fingers, and materializing beind him was a massive Kobold with huge horns and bulging muscles. Thick skin and fur kept it insulated and hardy; this beast was certainly a sight to behold.

Of the two smaller formerly bickering twins looking twosome, the female finally set her chair upright just as the massive Kobold appeared, and yet even though she wanted to scream out in joy at the sight of the Kobold, her favorite of her fathers kobolds, she had named him Fluffy when she was younger, the name sadly stuck. She instead stared mouth agape as a ghostly form of a wolf formed behind Fluffy, it was a dead creature yes, but it was breathing and it was boney and it was creepy as all fuck. "Uh... Papa... I know you brought Fluffy along but,,,, where'd the wolf ... thing... whatever the fuck it is, come from ?"

The Duke smiled seeing the Kobold, but at Taris' words another messenger, this one a household staffer, entered, "Yes Miguel ?"

"Your other guest is here sir, shall I send her in ?" The butler replied calmly, not the least bit scared at the sight of the wolf nor kobold of the screams of a nearby man held against the wall by tendrils of shadows. Either he was braindead, or just used to it with the Wolf Queen around all the time

"Yes, please do, her ah... one of her pets are already in here I dont see why she should wait." the Duke replied, he'd been waiting for this moment for a long time. True he did not like sorcery, yet. This woman was helpful indeed.

"Yes sir" The butler gave a small bow and then stepped aside, with a nod to someone in the hall while holding the door open. A woman dressed in rotting black, yet clearly ancient Arendelle clothing, stepped into the room. she looked no older then the Duke, yet she was old, she was very old. And she was also very dead. This was Ingrid the First, the third Queen of Arendelle, ousted by her own daughter ages into the past, and sealed within a vault, the same vault that the Scorpion was attacking. Though now she was known simply by her long forgotten moniker of, The Wolf Queen. She had a smile on her ghastly face as she spied her allies in the room. Two more ghostly undead wolves formed in the large study. Prompting Hans to sit up straighter as one gave him a dirty look.

Ingrid smiled, the clearly long dead woman, her nose was missing as she spoke, she seemed either bored, or overjoyed "You can relax young Draco" her voice was dead sounding, which it was, just dead and long gone, gravel like, rotted out, you name it. Her tone was to the man in black, yet she had a smile on her face when she saw him. "How long has it been ? A few hundred years ?" The Wolf Queen herself had lost track of time within that vault. "There is nothing to fear here now is there ?"

Draco huffed, a small growl really, at the Wolf Queen's comment to him. "The Stench of fear is not from me; witch." he turned to face her fully. "Time has...treated you well I see." He said calmly, looking at her, eyes glowing as he lifted a hand towards Ingrid's face, his hand leaking a black mist as he spoke again. "Dout garris zklaen qe ghergo tenamalo." the words echoed in the room; Ancient Draconian which meant "Your appearance must be young again"

Very briefly everyone in the room saw in the place of what should be a very dead and long gone woman, a beautiful young white haired woman, her ice clear green, yet, something about her rang true as she raised a hand to his, gently lowering it as she shook her head. It was not yet time.

Draco nodded, closing his hand before snapping his fingers once more; the Kobold in the room taking a few steps back. "Duke...bring in your best, most trusted guards; the rest are going to be ...replaced in about ten seconds." he looked back at the Duke; eyes flashing red.

"A moment if you will child. Why not work with humans for once rather then slaying them ?" Ingrid asked calmly as she went to the window and looked out on the massive yard, there were soldiers training for battle, supplies being moved and stored. "These men earn a living here, let us work along side them, My wolves, your kobolds, his men. The three armies can overrun Arendelle, and I can once more rule it!" Once again it was a power struggle, the Duke merely wanted to get trade going again "Besides, these men are exactly what we need to finish the job." She had turned towards a table,k showing a massive map, the wall behind it had a mark she had never seen but oddly felt comfortable with. "Keep the men alive. We will work together."

Though she knew that soon one of them was going to die. Soon. Maybe two of them... But who that would be, none knew

Draco huffed but nodded, letting out a small snarl; an order to withdraw for the moment to his Kobolds. "You may rule it; but I get what is hidden in the vaults of that cursed Silver." he growled; speaking of the Wolfe Vaults. With them he could supply his Kobold Armies with tools and weapons so that he could begin a conquest of the world and be damn near unstopable. He looked to Ingrid with an unyielding look; he wasn't asking.

"You may have what is in that vault. My only worry is to show my offspring that live in the castle that I am still very much queen" Ingrid replied, her ghastly features forming and deforming, the necromatical energies and sickly grey white smoke that enveloped her rather beautiful body made her look all the more... dead. "Besides, Once the kingdom is mine, you have freedom to do as you wish with what you want from it." As long as their interests did not conflict. Ingrid wanted Arendelle back under her control again. The way it should have been ages ago

It was then that Hans interjected "I hate to break up the reunion, but what exactly is the plan here ?" He wanted to be king of Arendelle, not let some undead woman take over. Ingrid cast her gaze towards the man. "I mean I am sure I can kidnap their current queen and keep her out of the way for you, but it will only last a few days, four at the most. Before her magic kicks in and she gets free and back in control, or worse, her... bodyguard, shows up, or those other men fall in on the plan..."

"Other men ?" The Duke spoke up confused. He had no idea of the CIA already in Arendelle and searching for someone.

"An outside influence, nothing we should be concerned with, yet they easily took her from the cabin below the Northern Mountains" Hans replied calmly

"An outside influence is none of my concern. Only taking back what is mine from those who turned against me so long ago" It was actually pretty nice to get what she wanted back. Yet for the Wolf Queen, it was not going to be an easy road what so ever. There was no history of her anywhere in Arendelle aside from what Blackmane managed to find, Elena had it all purged or hidden away. "What of your guests ?" Ingrid then asked thoughtfully to Hans. Her offspring, in his... care... How had they changed in her absence ?

"As far as I am aware, she is alive and according to my wife, quite well, we had a rather ingenius plan of her capture to be sure ten years ago" Hans was the genius behind the plan, but it was the Dukes men that put it into action, acting as pirates was one thing, fooling them into thinking the woman they killed and then set adrift was truly Idun worked better then expected. the body so decomposed by saltwater and the clothing but rags as well after the wreck. Only a DNA test could prove otherwise. "We are moving them to my kingdom tonight, for safety. Leverage kept elsewhere, if the queen found out her mother was here, she'd come for her, but if she is not here, and she still finds out her mother lives but is a prisoner, she wont find her here"

A DNA test that was going to happen very soon in fact.

Draco's eyebrows raised at the mention of Hans' plan, and turned to face the man, a devilish smirk on his face; pointed teeth visible. "A plan, you say? Do tell, dear child; The Shadows quake in ..." he took a long, unsettling breath inwards through his nose as the shadows in the room indeed quaked. "... anticipation." he smirked again and lowered his chin to look down at the boy before him. Aside from Ingrid; he was the oldest being in the room. Ingrid only beating him by a week in age.

Hans smiled, "I thought you'd never ask, of course, it was very far fetched..." Hans went on to explain how the plan was laid out, it was nearly dinner when he finished explaining it...

 **Blackrock Point**

 **Approximately 40 minutes outside of Greensky District**

 **one hour from the Arendelle Castle**

 **At that same moment, early afternoon**

There were many undead, and some living within the ancient tomb of a maze known as Blackrock Point, several spectres, a few necromatic undead wolves. And worse, undead soldiers originally loyal to the death and beyond to the person who once ruled the undead sealed within the tomb. And yet the seal of Blackrock Point was broken, and here it was seen why as Templars had been there, and in a few areas had rebuilt some broken walls against unwanted horrors of the underworld and undeath. Yet the skeletal remains of Men were clearly visible. And almost all of them were still alive. Providing Mark with perfect oppertunity to keep his blade sharp, and his wits sharper as he moved deeper into the seemingly never ending maze.

Mark moved with ease through many of those who stood in his path, his blade slicing them to ribbons, or the claws of his gauntlet maiming them so badly that they would bleed out and die before they could call for help. He came upon a split in the path, and he marked it with a scratch along the wall, leaving his five claw-marks against the rock using the _duradaeden_ of his gauntlet's fingers. Mark was then tackled by a Skeletal foe, who knocked the man a few feet back before he grabbed ahold of its spine, and with a shove broke all of the bones apart against the wall. His hood had no damage, and of course neither did his armor nor blade; as the very metal they were made of was able to stand the test of time in the form of Peices of Eden.

Realligning himself with the claw-mark he'd made, he closed his eyes and focused his senses before opening them, his Eagle-Vision showing him everything. Enemies he'd left to slay; their paths, where each path of the maze led, and how dangerous each path was. He saw it all; and his mind, focused, took it all in without question. He flicked his blade out, the blood flying from its edge as he ran down towards the right end of the labrynth.

There were seven Templars, all of them armed with unique weapons provided by the dead. Ancient swords. As their attacker neared one of them had fled with the notice. only to get slain shortly after sending it. At least the notice was sent, the Queen well on her way to safety by then. Nobody knew what to expect however in the ancient cavern city that was home to the countless Dead. As Mark entered the last cavern of the massive unending maze he found himself on a narrow bridge without rails, water on both sides, though the bottom was dark and unseen. There were triggers in the floor, flames, arrows, all sorts of items ready to stab or burn anything that set foot wrong.

It was more then just a puzzle, it was a deathtrap for anything living within, or without.

Yet from across the vast cavern stood several Men, all of them Templars, but what stood between the Men and Mark, were many spectres and undead Wolves. _What was it with this place and wolves_ ? It was as if the entire maze of a burial tomb was infested with undead wolves! yes there were undead men in there too, but the majroity of creatures were wolves! This truly was the Wolf Queens lair! And this was where her army waited. All the Dead waited here for him it seemed, at least all those on the narrow bridge to the courtyard of the necropolis Mark found himself in. These were the best of the Dead under the Wolf Queen. Magically enhanced dead men were one thing, ancient magically enhanced deadmen where an different thing entirely!

Mark looked around the room, blood dripping from his sword as he held it in his right hand; left hand ready to strike and claw any who came near, as well as deploy his hidden blade if necessary. He pointed the tip of his blade towards those who opposed him and spoke loudly, his voice echoing in the chamber. "Come from your hiding place! Stop your cowering behind your traps and your enchantments! Come and fight!" He called to them.

But they did not care; only the undead wovles did; and those he did away with with a flick of his blade. He grit his teeth. Suddenly a word came to his mind, a word in a language he did not speak, but did know, in a sense. " _Wiap_ " was the word. And with it fresh in his mind Mark bounded over the pressureplates and traps with one leap, landing on a safe-spot in the middle, and then bounding once more to the other side where his foes stand waiting. He landed with a crack of the ground beneath him.

The word? It meant "Fly".

When Mark landed on the courtyard side of the narrow bridge howls broke through the cavern as the Templars readied themselves. But seeing the stance that Mark took made them slightly nervous, at least for the mortal Men. The undead cared much less and swarmed the lone man. A lone man who was foolish to try and attack that place, the home of their Queen. The Wolf Queen's ancient underground palace was in a word, fuckin' HUGE, it overlooked a vast chasm that the water poured into in a waterfall and across that chasm was a vast network of cave windows and what looked like stairs leading nowhere. The dead swarmed the courtyard. dozens of them crowded around and cut Mark off from the only way of escape as the Templars stood ready, their swords drawn, one or two havaing pistols drawn and aimed.

The leader of the Templars smirked. Yet, while smug he spoke "You were brave boy. But foolish to come here. The one you seek, she is not here. If you want to survive, you can easily just walk away." But the Templar knew that Assassins did not just walk away when their target was gone, they took out every Templar on the block! But this Assassin was different, his armor was unlike anything they had ever seen before. And that made all but the leader of the Templars nervous, yet the Dead did not care

Drawing his sword, a truly massive weapon yet clearly ancient, off his back, the Templar Captain, an old friend of a certain Templar that Elsa had slain not too long ago, a year or so before actually. Commander Illitain. the former Captain of the Royal Guard, slain by Elsa after the return of Matthew. "I see the warning went unheeded. It matters little. make your choice boy!"

The undead were dispatched with a single spin of Mark's body, his claws and sword tearing them apart as if they were merely paper. As they fell around him, he stopped and pointed his blade at the Templar Captain. "My target is you, as far as I am concerned!" Mark called out calmly. After everything he'd done today he wasn't tired in the slightest. His armor flashed brightly in the presence of that ancient blade. "Come! Let us see the true power of a Templar Captain!" Mark challenged, going into his trademark stance: Feet wide, knees bent. Sword hand with the back leg, blade horizontal with the tip facing the enemy and his free and out in challenge.

The claws of Mark's gauntlet gleamed and he turned his arm, making the classic "come-hither" motion with his fingers similar to the way they do it in those old Kung-Fu movies.

A Smirk splayed across Mark's face.

the Templar sighed, well, he tried. "Get him!" He growled, the Six others ran at Mark, first in pairs, then as a group. Wear him down, get the armor off, anything really so they could take a shot, or at least tire him so their boss could finish him. Sadly they did not fare well if at all. One of them had his gun cut apart, the other had his whole gun arm chopped off, the shot rang out, nailing another Templar dead between the eyes. Three down, four to go

The last three backed off slightly, One took a sword and ran at Mark, he held his ground well, but he too soon fell with a solid kick, sending him over the side screaming to his death hundreds of meters below, the last two traded looks and then went to either side of Mark, their swords working in tandem but Mark had better skill. two against one hpowever was not to last as the Templar Leader joined the last two. the massive sword just barely catching one of his own men in his battlefrienzy, unfortunately for that Templar he took a wrong step and jammed his own sword into his fellow before getting knocked off the side.

Now it was one on one. This foe however had skill, and his blade was indeed strong, it was not iduradaeden/i yet it was Ancient, possibly made with Precoursor technology, like Marks armor. At some point the man was going to have to give. And soon enougth he did just that, a wrong move was made, providing Mark with the perfect unlooked for opening

As soon as the opening was there, Mark took it, stepping in and raking the man's chest with his iduradaeden/i claws before kicking out his knee; the crunch of his bone echoing in the chamber. The Templar captain wouldn't be dead, but he wouldn't be able to move, either. Mark sheathed his own sword and picked up the one the Templar was using, keeping a heavy foot on the Captain's neck to keep him still while he inspected the blade. They were right next to the edge.

 _After a minute Mark snarled and snapped the blade over his knee; using the sheer hardness of the blade against it when coupled with his iDuradaeden/i armor. He tossed the halves of the blade off the edge; he didn't care for them, and they reeked of... ancient dark magic. How Mark knew this was strange even to him; for now. But then he knelt beside the Captain, and lowered his hood; letting the Captain have a good look at his face._

 _Mark's eyes, whilst blazing bronze, were different than normal; their pupils vertical slits; similar to those of a reptile of some sort._

 _"Now then; you're going to tell me the quickest way out of here, give me the key to your tower, and then your life." Mark said, his claws lightly scratching under the man's chin._

 _The Templar, though dying, in that time between times, smirked. Choking on his own blood after triggering a suicide pill when his knee was broken, "After eaons of ages and years... " The man choked and choughed, "Keys become useless. When the dead... keep watch for their Queen" The man coughed again, a smile on his face as he looked in the direction of the broken coffin that once housed Ingrid the First, the Wolf Queen of Arendelle, Laughing then choking the man gargled out. "You're too late... She's free..." The man choked then as life left him_

 _But it left one question._

 _She ?_

Mark scoffed, and with a blink his eyes returned to normal, and his armor vanished with a flash. He searched the Templar; found most of what he'd expect: some money, a family picture, a personal invitation from one of the courtesans, and...something else. Plans for weapons. Plans so old they felt as if they'd fall apart if they touched fresh air. He stood and looked to the opened sarcophagus, walking over to it silently. Summoning his signiture gauntlet, he raked the side of it. Normally he would never do something like that to any tomb or burial chamber; but something compelled him. An inner rage and hatred he could not contain.

Remembering Snowfeather's words, though, he used Eagle Vision to find his way out.

 **Arendelle**

 **The Memorial Stones**

 **Just outside the Greensky District**

 **Twenty minutes later**

It was midafternoon to near dinner, but the sky was clear and the thin coating of snow on the ground made the air slightly crisp yet it never bothered anyone in Arendelle as long as it happened in Wintertime, the world had changed and lately Elsa had used her magic to make it snow just enough to cover the ground in a pretty whiteness, but nothing like on her Coronation seven years before. The two Stones overlooked the kingdom in all its glory. It was sad that Elsa was not there when the stones were first placed. But she was a wreck at the time but since learning to control her magic, the stones were visted once a week and kept clean and well tended.

the stone on the left had the Kings name written in Arendelle's Kudzul runes, while the Queen was more flowery almost a mixture of Arabic and Runic; almost as if a elf had written the Queens name on the memorial stone in question, whereas the King had more hard edged lettering, the Queens was softer, more freeflowing and prettier, and both had flowers placed at their stones. Crocus flowers at that. but the snow did not appear disturbed whatsoever

Mark stood in front of the stones, wearing no armor. He lowered his hood and walked before each stone, lightly dragging his hand across the names before sighing. He then took off his coat and folded it neatly; setting it beside him as he sat down, criss-crossing his legs and letting his hands rest on his knees. He closed his eyes; and mediated. He let out a long, slow, monotonous hum with each breath; using the meaningless noise to clear his head of all thoughts; and to let whatever he was supposed to find, find him.

That was the thing about meditation; you don't find what you want, it finds you; and sometimes, you may not like what you find.

 _The world Dropped away then, and Mark was surrounded by white fire. A male figure stood behind Mark's own standing figure in this vision. Neither moved, but the one standing behind Mark spoke calmly, and slowly._

 _"You are learning your destiny. Who you are...What you are." he said calmly. "My reincarnation in this world; waiting for my beloved to awaken herself. You've no idea how hard it is to get into my... your... our head." the man said tapping his own skull as he spoke, a soft gentle smile on his face_

 _"Who are you?" Mark asked._

 _"It is not your place to ask that question yet, my boy. The answer will come when you are ready to face the truth, and only then." the vision of the two females in the cell appeared before Mark's eyes again, clearer, and with no pain whatsoever. "These two... they're family. To Elsa... to you... To us. The girl you will come to know soon enough... the woman... well I think you know who she is. Picture her with her hair up in a proper Queenly bun. Who does she look like?"_

 _Mark was silent, but nodded, and the man seemed to notice. "You know her to be Elsa's Mother. Go, tell her that she lives. But, say bnothing/b of me; bshe/b has not awoken yet. Not enough, anyway."_

 _Suddenly Mark turned and the man was gone. "I will... thank you."_

Mark's eyes opened; it was almost time for dinner now. Mark put on his Jacket and left for the palace; it was rude to keep a lady waiting, especially when she'd not seen him all day.

 **Arendelle**

 **Wolfe District**

 **Exactly one hour later**

With Mark not in his armor as everyone recently saw him at the party the last three days. It was odd for the man, hood even up, not to get recognised as a Mentor level assassin who worked beside Elsa on a daily basis. But this was different, without his armor or sword, or even hisd gauntlet on at the time, nobody recognised him or really gave him much notice if that.

And this was a good thing as Mark went through Arendelle to get back to the castle to see Elsa aboujt something important, two people, well, a woman, clearly an Assassin wrapped in thick scarves, and a... icy snakelike creature were one street over from where Mark was moving through a trhick crowd of people. The icy creature seemed indifferent to the fact that the snow was falling through its body, or rather her, bony ice body. While snowflakes collected on the young Assassin's head

Taking a gander at the massive manor Tiri made a weird noise. Something akin to a whistle "So this is where you grew up huh ?" It had been seven months really since the disitrict reopened. But it was the end of the week when it was going to be offically renamed to Wolfe from Whitehall. The two entered the massive manor grounds through a back way, The ice creature meandering through stuff and stacks fo wood and rock taking it all in "It must have been nice, all those people, servants, family, any extended family ?" Tiri was actually curious exactly of what happened. But she knew better then to pry into things.

Marion said nothing as they came upon Wolfe manor; and instead looked upon it in awe. Mark had done a magnificent job with restoring it; it looked even better than she remembered it to look. The Windows were all replaced, the scorch marks removed and painted over with fresh white paint. The whole building seemed to glow; a beacon of hope for the people of Arendelle. For the Wolfe Clan.

For Mark's own sanity.

She knew that Mark was in an unstable state of mind; she could feel it in her heart earlier that day. Thankfully that feeling was gone, and she smiled for that as she looked upon the manor. "It was, from what I could remember." She finally answered Tiri. "Extended family? Yes...our Mother's family was brought in, granted our title as Nobles and the Queen's Guard." Marion looked over the various hard-wood floors that were set out upon the table she stood next to. Mark wasn't kidding when he said that it was the last thing he had yet to choose to put into the manor and make it complete.

"Let's see what's inside." She said calmly. There were various statues of former Wolfe Clansmen and Women who had done exceptional deeds, though the largest was in the main courtyard at the main entrance to the manor, and that was Second Wolfe, the first of the clan; who was there to see Arendelle's founding, and who set the laws that the Wofle Clan lived by up until their quite sudden decline; forcing Arendelle's royal family to draw its royal guard from their best soldiers.

Of course...Elsa knows how well that turned out; did when Matthew returned to her.

The serpentine creature gazed up at the massive recently cleaned up and repaired statue of Second Wolfe. The massive statue was in the center of the main front courtyard. looking up at it Tiri couldn't help but feel... humbled. In a way, The gaze of the statue was... both one of professional air and... oddly, protective love, yet to Tiri it was humbling to see such a stern yet kind and loving gaze set in stone. Tiri gazed at the huge statue of Second, asking softly, almost scared to raise her voice, "He... feels oddly familar, who was he ?" Tiri knew things, but not many. In fact she found herself wondering if someone she once called "papa" was around still, she doubted it

Turning from the statue Tiri came to the wood flooring laid on a table, all sorts of different shades and some were polished others just dusted or wet with water. Looking at her reflection in the wood Tiri gave off a odd chortle like sound. "I wonder if Mark would like Ice for a wood floor ?" Or was that glass floor ? Nevermind, seeing the sudden mean look from Marion concerning icing the wood Tiri tried to smile, but it wasn't easy for a ice serpent to do such a thing so she made a noise akin to a sigh and said "OK no ice, but still tile could be good, maybe ?" At the mention of seeing inside the massive house however made her smile, the icewraith nodded. "Yes, lets."

Maybe there was something that could help them along ? Maybe try and figure out just _why_ the Wolfe family had been attacked in the first place ? So they stepped into the main front hall. Tiri gave off a low whistle "Wow... polished marble, beautiful light maple walls... "The Icewraith did a full three sixty and when she returning to facing forwards towards what might have been the three floor living room she saw Marion staring at a painting that was on a easel "Marion ? Is something wrong ?" Tiri floated over to Marion's side, seeing the painting herself.

A tear floated down Marion's cheek as she looked at the painting. It was her family. Her father, mother, herself, and Mark. This must have been a year before the attack that wiped out the Clan. Maybe less. Definitely less, that was Mark when he was eight years old, she was only three. Only six months older than Anna was. Mairon's mind went back to having to sit in her Mother's lap for so long without moving; it drove her mad! She remembered that Mark had managed to fall asleep while standing next to his mother, his hand on her shoulder, and their father right behind him, hands on both shoulders. How Mark did that was beyond her; even his head didn't bob when he did it! The painter thankfully had gotten Mark's eyes and colors down before it happened, so it wasn't too much of a problem.

Marion wiped the tear and smiled. She couldn't help but wonder where Mark was going to hang this. Her eyes turned to the statue of Second Wolfe, and she shrugged to finally answer Tiri's question. She didn't know; Mark probably did, but she didn't. She may have always been the smarter of the two, but Mark was always the more learned simply because he couldn't stop reading. In fact, most of the time, even now, if he wasn't at Elsa's side or killing Templars, he was in the library reading, or he was sleeping in his bed.

Marion sighed and looked around, noticing the Wolfe Family crest in the center of the foyer area laid out in Granite that had been polished to a shine. However she did not notice one thing about it: The small slide in the middle with five holes in it, large enough for someone's fingers to fit inside of, even with a gauntlet on. Marion had no clue that under her feet was the first of many Wolfe Vaults hidden throughout Arendelle in plain sight, and only accessable by the head of the Clan: The one who possessed the Gauntlet.

Who was the current head? Mark, by right and by blood. While the royal family of Arendelle was run by the daughters, the Wolfe Clan was almost always run by the Sons; except in the few cases where the father was such that he could not produce a son; only daughters. In which case the gauntlet went to the first born, as usual.

Tiri reformed herself then to her human form, a dark silver hood covered her head and face in silvery shadows, in the case one thought her Elsa, which was possible, in London Tiri wore dozens of colors at once when in public, like a walking tyedyed golf outfit really. Something someone could see from Mars or even Pluto, if they went that far. Shje pointed at the painting or rather, the child in Charity's arms "I remember you being that small when your mother came to me in London." She said thoughtfully. this painting was over twenty years old! And in perfect condition. Tiri then pointed to the man in the picture, the man whose hands where on Marks shoulders. "Your father I assume ?" He looked older, more careworn yet also carefree and a family man for sure.

She then took a close look at the bottom left corner of the painting, for the painters mark, it was standard, and since this painting still had some of its origfihnal frame missing or being cleaned up on the nearby table, the painters mark wasn't covered. She spied a scarily familar name and her breath caught in her throat. "Impossible! If he's still alive, he'd... well, he wouldn't look great, if that. But if he's still alive... I wonder where he is" She mumbled in a mix of icy cracking and very heavy Norse

The Painters name, was Jarius

Tiri turned from the painting as Marion knelt by the crest on the floor, Tiri for a time had admired her reflection in the floor, pretty silver on the polished granite tile. "What is it ? Did you find something ?" Tiri stepped around the main hall, taking in everything. asking aloud and clearly then, "Why attack this place ? Why whipe out your family ? What would the attackers have wanted ?" She came then and stood next to Marion, kneeling and taking a peek at the marks in the floor. Oddly clean too, placing her hand over the marks "Five marks, a hand hold maybe ?" She put her fingers against the mark, but alas, her hand was oddly too small ? Wait no, her fingers were too thin, the holes compared to her fingers were much too large. "Ok, not a hand hold... perhaps something else ?"

"Something else." came a voice as Marion was about to answer. The sound of a door closing behind them gave away the man's location as he entered the room. "What business do you have in my home, Assassins?" he asked. iHis/i home?

Marion turned and saw her brother wearing only his coat, his hood down. He had a stern expression to his face, and his eyes blazed Bronze as he analysed them with his Eagle Vision. Ulnaus sat perched on the statue of one of their ancesters outside, preening as he sat upon the shoulder of the statue. Marion stood and gave her brother a bow. "Master Wolfe, we were sent to report to you by the Mistress running the Courtesan headquarters."

"If she wants to use my home as a base of operations she can forget it." Mark's voice was stern and final on this point; he'd not have his Family's sacred grounds be...desecrated by such acts, even if it did benefit the efforts of the Assassin order. Hell, he'd even challenge the authority of the Assassin Grand Master if it came to it. Knowing him he'd make one hell of a fuss.

"Of course not!" Marion bluffed. "We were sent here..." She grasped for words, and secretly hoped that Tiri would take over the sentence while Mark drew closer witch each slow, methodical step, his expression only getting more stern.

"... To report to you that the Talos district has been liberated. The Courtesan zone is now under complete Assassin control and further repairs to the building are still ongoing" _Gotta make a save quick!_ Tiri thought as she spoke, _hope he believes it too... oh wait, ah broken ice he's taking us in with his Eagle Vision... nice bird, nice bird_ It was not every day an assassin was dressed in nothing but silver. Her own magic could mask her pretty well. But there was something... off about Mark, and it was not his mood, but something... else... something... oddly well she couldn't put her foot on it, or her finger, just yet, it just felt... oddly familar. Her own eyes blazed a bright silver under her hood in the silver shadows on her face as she took in Mark.

He did not look happy, but, the good news was that Tiri was perfectly fine in the Talos District. Wolfe District was not going to be a courtesan district. Ever.

"We were also sent to report to you for further orders concerning the Manor grounds" OK it was more like in proper translation of "We were looking for you and got distracted by how beautiful this downtrodden place had become and wanted to explore further and also Georgina wants you" but instead of saying it that way she however said "And Den Master Georgina wanted to inform you that Elsa wishes to see you as soon as you are able. But Elsa also presses the insistence that you need not hurry unless she sends one of the Royal Guard or Snowfeather to find you"

Maybe he'd let them explore a bit more ? After all, the tales of the place she had heard from Charity and Marion while in London made her want to see it all for herself, after all, in her two very brief visits to Arendelle she had only been outside the front gates of the place. And before that she was briefly with Elsa's mother and father on that ill fated trip. yet something once again felt off, as if Mark had something important, no... not important, iurgent/i to tell Elsa.

Mark huffed; he saw something off about Tiri; something magical that was hiding something about her from him. He was tempted to peer closer when he closed his eyes and turned, a hand going to his head in pain. He sighed and turned at the news of the Talos District. "Very good. I would also reccommend you make some sort of...appointment to get into the Wolfe Manor. It isn't done, and you ...may not like some of the things you find here." he said. Some rooms were still locked and hadn't been opened; and undoubtedly contained skeletal remains of fallen Wolfe Clansmen.

Mark sighed and blinked a few times as he crossed his arms over his chest as he moved to the center of the seal, covering the five holes with his foot as he turned to the two. "I suggest you report back to your respective dens. When the Manor is finished, I will open it to the general public, until then, only those with express permission from either myself or Elsa is allowed on the grounds." he glanced to the painting. That's exactly what he wanted to see before reporting to Elsa. The face of his mother. It would calm him enough to be able to face Elsa with what he needed to tell her.

Walking over to the painting he lightly reached out and touched it, tracing his and Marion's mother's face with his fingers; his body language seemed to relax. "Now then, move along; and try not to touch anything on your way out." He said absently. He would linger at the painting even after they left; standing there for a good five minutes.

Marion sighed once outside, giving Ulnaus a side-long glance as the bird flew over their heads and pounced a rat in the bushes beside the cobble-stone pathways. They once more came upon the statue of Second Wolfe; the fountain that surrounded his body was not active, and was devoid of water. However a bronze plaque was upon a small pedastal that read "Second Wolfe; founder of the clan, first bodyguard of Arendelle's royal family. Co-founder of Arendelle." in black lettering.

"Here's your answer as to who he is..." Marion said idly to Tiri before moving back around to get another glance at the statue's face; it was so life-like. If Marion didn' t know better, she could swear that the man would start speaking to her.

Tiri stepped to the plaque and read it aloud "co-founder of Arendelle" She tried to think of the times long ago, but it didn't do much good, after all she was what, twenty something ? Maybe older ? She saw the name that had been also written on the plaque, "Errected by Flowerfist the Fair in memory of her beloved friend." She read aloud, turning to Marion, who now outside, Diana, she said thoughtfully "Flowerfist the Fair was the First Queen of Arendelle right ?" It made sense, because when Arendelle was first built, the boundary of the kingdoms Eastern Edge was the back wall of the Wolfe District itself!

Finally she said what was possibly on both their minds "Appointment ? To go into your own home ? Is your brother drunk ? Or is he worried about somethying we might see that we shouldn't ?" She said nothing of what she felt from Mark, "it felt... off really, off, and... well... familar. I'm not sure why either, it just felt weird." She explained then what she felt Mark trying to decern, he was really staring at her, at them both, well mostly here, it was not every day one dressed in silver, in a design ereily similar to Elsa herself, showed up in ones own home. "I had to use some of my natural magic to keep him from seeing through my disguise, I dont know if he saw my true form or not" It might have explained the headache he seemed to have.

But...

"Why was he so focused on the painting of you two and your Mother ?" Tiri was also tempted to ask out of the blue "whats a mother ?" but she kept her mouth shut

Marion shrugged at Tiri's question as to why Mark was so focused on the painting, specifically their mother. "No clue. He probably misses her; I don't know what he'd give to see her again." She said. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, Charity was right under Mark's nose at the Courtesan headquarters, but seeing as how Mark seemingly had a distaste for the Courtesans and their work, he would likely not find out on his own.

Marion then sighed. "Come on, let's go back." she said calmly as she headed to the gates, then towards Talos District.

Tiri nodded, it was time for them to go back to Charity. But at least Marion got to see her home after twenty three or so years! The two darted off into the crowded streets of Arendelle, returning to the place Tiri called home, for now.


	24. Seqeunce 6 Memory 2

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 6**_

 _ **Memory 2: The Bird Feeder**_

 **22 December 2051**

 **Courtesan Assassin Den**

 **Main Office**

 **Just before dinner**

 _"How can a man be truly happy if he cannot serve his Queen with his whole heart ?"_

 **Bishop Jerimah of Arendelle to Charity Wolfe concerning the marriage of Elsa and Mark**

It was eventful to say in the least. The one second they could briefly explore, yet Mark showed up. Unexepcted yes, but, also expected, yet just a matter of inconvient timing was all. Upon returning to the Courteason building Tiri shed her silver hood, her hair was not as long as Elsas own hair, yet it was bright silver, and rarely in a braid. Opening the door she stepped inside, many of the girls recognised her as their 'mom' and let her be, some even recognising Marion as the girl that passed them off for something or someone better. But then it didn't really matter much. Stepping past a girl as some bills where handed to her Tiri headed up a flight of stairs then headed to the office. Chairty awaited news. As she had yet to even visit the Manor she once called home.

Knocking twice on the door Tiri heard Charity within call out for them to come in, holding the door open for Marion to enter before her as another girl arrived, this time with a notice from the castle. It was important. possibly too important, it came directly from Elsa, wanting to speak with the new owner/overseer of the Courteans directly. That meant one thing, either Elsa was going to speak directly to Chairty, and ruin the plan to not tell Mark they were in town, or Tiri had to make do with a proper disguise

Chairty saw Tiri holding more papers in her hands, "More invoices ?" She asked

"You could say that, including a notice from Elsa, she wants to meet one of us, either you or me, in person, tomorrow" Tiri said. She cast her gaze to Charity as she handed over the letter. Oh dear.

Marion sputtered at the thought of Elsa meeting Charity in person. "Um...with Mark always at Elsa's side, her seeing you would likely give him a heart attack; or cause him to kill someone." she said calmly. She sighed and bit her bottom lip. "Tiri...you're the only person here he'd be fine if he saw. If he knew I was alive, he'd do the same thing he would if he found out our mother was alive." she explained.

She sighed, tired and removed her hood and her scarves, plopping down in one of the chairs in front of Charity's desk. "We saw him...by the way. Saw Mark at Wolfe Manor. He was acting a bit strange; said we would need an appointment of all things to go into our own home before it was finished being restored. I dunno mother...I worry about him."

Charity sat the edge of her desk as Tiri broke apart onto the other chair and laid in a pile of ice, a thoughtful hum came from her. Chairty focused on Marion. "You're right. If I go anywhere near the Castle or the Manor itself, your brother will find me, he always could as a child, I never could hide from him in our games before you were born." Charity often remembered teaching Mark how to hide, like a true Assassin, in their own home, and for hours, weeks and months even, they'd play the 'game' of hide and seek. A game that Charity tried to get her son involved in to the point where he'd practice not being seen by any of the staff or extended family itself. By the time Marion was born, Mark was hard, if not very much not the least bit possible, to find, even in plain sight! And he was ifive/i

But that did not matter. As another pressing matter was to be attended to. Marion was tired, and Mark was off, ish... it didnt make sense. Normally even by then Tiri was herself, not a pile of ice glassy blue bones and snowflakes! "Something must have happened today. How did he look to you two ? What did he do, what did he say to you two exactly ?"

Why could they not go into their own home without asking him or Elsa ?

"Well...at first we were alone. But when he found us and took our excuse for being there... he.." she swallowed hard. "He turned to the painting. The... family portrait... of us. I was three. It was months before the attack I think; it's in perfect condition... it..." she choked up and lowered her head, covering her eyes.

"When he first saw us, he... used his Eagle Vision, like Snowfeather had taught him, I had to use my magic to keep him from seeing me as ice. I could feel something off him, something... strange, almost, like I know something about him, who he is, what he is. Something I cant explain." Tiri mused thoughtfully as her icy form coiled on the chair rather then in a pile of ice. "Mark was focused on the painting when he warned us to leave or to return with permission from him or Elsa. He... was focused on you." Tiri explained to Charity, "When he asked us to leave, he mentioned in a absent frame of mind not ot touch anything as we left. There were also marks, like a hand hold or something, in the center of the main hall granite floor, the holes are too large for our hands. Like we'd need a glove or a..."

"... A gauntlet ?" Charity said, standing from the desk she went over to Marion and crouched in front of her chair. "I remember it, it was the only time we had before your father was called away to America; if it were not for Elsa's mother, we would not be here now." She remembered the day clearly as if it played before her again. As it did every year. She had taken the painting and hid it in one of the sealed floorrooms on the second floor. Sealed like a safe, in the floor and ceiling of each room there was a safe, at least one in each bedroom.

But she had to ask. "How far did you get into the Manor ?" the master bedroom was on the second floor, that room held something rather important to all four of them. Well, the three of them now. Shortly after Marion turned three the family had gathered, just the four of them, about a week before the painting was to occur. they had made stuff, as a family, all sorts of little models, planes, deer, little houses, even a miniture garden. Chairty had kept it all in the master bedroom safe. Sealed away.

"We only got in to the foyer. No further." Marion said softly, looking up from her hands as she crossed one leg over the other while she sat, leaning back in the chair as she started to relax. It wasn't too long before the sounds of the working girls pleasing their clients could be heard; though thankfully heavilly muffled. "I don't know how far Mark has gone; but I'm sure he's almost completely restored the manor." she said.

She then sighed. "Now then... which of you will see Elsa? You do both run this place, so you can get away with it; but if Mark were to find out you were here, Mother, I dunno what would happen."

"I will keep the peace here, Mark, as you may have not exactly noticed, didn't take kindly to the girls when they were here before the attack all those years ago, I doubt he'd know where to look." Charity started pacing then thoughtfully. "Tiri will go to see Elsa, she wants you there for dinner according to this, tonight"

"Really ?" Tiri reformed then, almost a exact duplicate of the queen herself but in silver and wild silverwhite hair "I thought it said tomorrow morning ? Ah no matter." This was going to be a very eventful night for sure

"In the mean time, your brother indeed sleeps, as soon as Tiri gets back from dinner with Elsa and more then likely, Mark as well, I want the two of you to sneak into the Manor, find my old bedroom, the safe should still be in there, if it is, use this key to access it." She handed a key cylender about the width of Marion's wrists. "Inside there should be some papers, take them, and make sure Mark never sees them. For now." It was the familes birth records, at least, from the last six or seven generations. Really started since Blackmane was first in Arendelle generations before. "There will also be something in there with a bronzeblack Kudzul J on it. take it as well" Charity said to Marion. they could only sneak into the manor after dark, using eagle vision to see in the darkness.

"Until Tiri gets back however, I want you to be well rested, are you up for it ?" Charity said to her daughter, this was an important mission. all those papers Chairty wanted kept safe, were also important to Elsa's family tree as well, After all, Mark was to be Elsa's bodyguard when he came of age, and Marion was to be Anna's when she came of age as well.

But then another thought hit her. "Besides Mark, did you see anyone else ?"

Marion nodded when it came time to hear her orders. She took mental notes; second floor, master bedroom, find the safe, unlock it. She took the cylinder and stuffed it into one of her pockets in her coat. "Yes, I'm up for it... provided that I can sleep without any of the girls bringing a client into the room." she said calmly, standing. A good nap would do her well. "As for seeing anyone, we saw no one; just Ulnaus, Mark's Eagle. Massive creature pounced on a rat in the courtyard. We also saw the satue of Second Wolfe; our Clan's founder and co-founder of Arendelle." she said.

"Other than that; nothing."

"Use my bedroom, none of the girls have a key to it" Charity said jerking her thumb to the door on the right side of the room, to the left of the desk actually. "I'll have Tiri waken you when she gets back. and you'd better get going, if the Queen sends for you, you best answer. try not to make a fool of yourself"

"Dont I always try ?" Tiri mumbled softly, half there half trying to figure out that weirdness about Mark

"Only sometimes, the last time..." Charity began, bringing up a rather unfortunate event in London concerning a traveling circus

"... How was I supposed to know Ringling Circu wanted me for their freak show ?" Tiri grumbled, they just had to show up and try to grab her, but because she was nothing but ice, they couldn;t keep her contained in a cage or anything of the sort.

"Because you aren't human to begin with..." Charity mused

"Oh stuff it I'll see you after dinner" Tiri rose from the chair she sat in and then headed for the door, tonight was going to be eventful for sure, she forgot to open the door, all but walking into the thing before opening, and slamming into the edge of it before stumbling out. none of the girls in the hall made a sound in her direction though, so that was good. For the most part

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Dining Room**

 **Dinner**

The exact moment Tiri touched the handhold, the fingerholds to a place unknown for ages, since the establishment of Arendelle to begin with. Elsa saw a room unlike any she had ever seen in her life, black marble lined with green light, like her mothers secret library vault walls, only in this case this room was just to get into a much larger space lined with columns and statues of ancient Queens of Arendelle. She blinked as she saw it, it felt like home ? Oddly homelike actually, the cavernus hall had stairs on either side leading into something, up to a balcony of a sort. Her vision shifted, almost as if she was walking amid that white room as Georgina called it, that space between spaces. Outside of time yet able to view it from all angles.

When her vision finally cleared she saw two people, one of them a woman in beautiful silver, whose face she could not see, but the other took her attention instantly upon sight of the child. The child, a girl, she had wings of beautiful silver scales like a dragon. the child was so full of life, and when Elsa saw her face she stared in shock. She had drawn that same face in her journal, but the woman in silver, who was she ? Why could she not see her face ?

The vision faded as Elsa focused on the fireplace in the castle study, her fathers study. Her mother's study none but her and Mark knew about. Not even Matthew had found out about it. The door opened and Kai stepped in "Yes Kai ?"

"Madam, your guest has arrived, yet Master Wolfe has yet to arrive, shall I entreat her to mingle with the partygoers in the courtyard while we await Master Wolfe ?" Kai asked calmly.

"No, send her in, I will see her in the dining room, if Mark shows up, have him wait for me there as well." She could tell Mark her vision, after dinner, when they had their moment to themselves before seeing to the party goers, it was the third night of the weeklong party, and everyone was looking forwards to the next morning when Mark was going to wake everyone up with all the birds like he did every morning since, well... since she became his student really after Matthew disappeared

But what she did not know was the news, dire news, that Mark had for her concerning her mother.

Mark wasn't far behind Tiri; only a minute or two. He entered the main gate of the castle through the courtyard and blinked; his Eagle Vision automatically activating. He saw footprints he didn't recognize heading towards the castle. "Whose..." He mouthed, following them. They were heading towards where Elsa was to meet him and someone else for Dinner. He narrowed his eyes and summoned his armor once out of sight of the general population. For a second he took a moment to reflect on his appearance. Aside from his messy hair and fatigued look, he looked alright. His armor, mostly bronze aside from his Left Gauntlet, which was older than he could dream, looked normal as far as he could see. The left gauntlet was a more blackish color; evidence of the age of the metal work, yet it worked still.

 _"That trail..."_

It was the voice and presence Mark had sensed earlier during his meditation. It sounded more gravely though; or longing...it was hard to discern. Mark continued to follow it and caught up to the source: Tiri, just as she was led into the dining room by Kai. In the second that he had, Mark focused his Eagle Vision as hard as he could to see who she was. The Assassin he'd sent from his home back to her den? Or at least, one of them...

 _"No...it can't be her..."_

Mark dropped to a knee and gripped at his forehead again in pain, his pupils shifting from their usual circles to reptilian slits again.

In the study Elsa felt a migrane ram into her like a loaded fright ship. Icicles it hurt! Reaching to her head she rubbed gently, _please, dont go full blown headache, just a gentle OW!_ Nope, Elsa bit her lip as she struggled to keep from screaming in pain, it looked like something hard was hurting, briefly, very briefly she saw the egg, it had to be an egg, the same thing she had shown Mark from her journal, but this time it looked much more real, as if... the vision faded, the headache slowly fading as well, it still pounded, but not as strong. _Icicles that hurt._

She looked around the study, it was just her, surrounded by old books and paperwork and other things, the fire burned brightly. OK, what just happened ?

Tiri was lead into the diningroom, she felt eyes on her but never turned to look, the gaze felt oddly, strangely familar, almost hauntingly so. oh dear. She had no idea how to react, but something did not feel right, if that. Once inside the dining room she went to the window and looked out, ahh, so pretty, she barely remembered seeing Arendelle from the diningroom window! It looked out over the kingdom's port and docks district and the Fjord beyond! So peaceful, so... puzzle like oddly so.

After a moment of gaining his strength Mark stood and let out a deep breath, raising his hood as he deactivated his Eagle Vision, and his pupils returned to normal. He walked to the door and opened it, looking once more to Tiri as he entered the room, his armor vanishing slowly from his body, all except anyway, for his left gauntlet. He took a seat across from Tiri and leaned back in the chair, clawed hand lightly scratching at his bearded chin while he waited for Elsa to enter the room.

 _"She doesn't look quite the same anymore."_

Mark idly turned his head, thinking he'd be able to see the source of the voice he heard beside him. Briefly he saw a man in a white robe sitting in the chair beside him, looking lovingly towards Tiri. But with a bllink he was gone, and Mark bit his bottom lip. Did Tiri see that? The man was right there.

Mark licked his lips and drank from the goblet of wine Kai had poured for him, taking a sip to calm his nerves for the time being.

"It seems permission or otherwise is to be obtained tonight ?" Tiri said softly, her tone the exact same as the first time she and Mark had first met only twenty or so minutes before, her face still covered the Icewraith focused on the outside of the diningroom window as the sun slowly set. Bathing the room in a warm glow. "Wouldn't you think ?" What was Mark trying to see about her anyhow ? She turned to face Mark, never seeing the man in white that he had seen. her face covered, even if uncovered he'd not really fully recognise her right off as Elsa, but in silver ? no Elsa wore ice... red at the moment. The hooded woman at the window smiled behind her mask in the silver shadows of her hood. "You seem troubled. Pray tell Mentor, what troubles you ?"

It was at that moment when the door opened and Elsa stepped in when Tiri felt it briefly, a connection to Elsa unlike any other; one that felt... sisterly. She couldn't put her finger on it yet, but soon she'd figure it out. But until then she went quiet as Elsa entered the dining room and closed the door behind her. Looking to the silver dressed woman Elsa seemed oddly confused, yet also happy. "You are the woman in charge of the Courtesans building ?" Elsa asked, for the moment not noticing Mark as he sat in the chair directly in front of her, the high backed seat made it hard for her to see him.

It was then Elsa noticed something right off. The woman in the room with her, was dressed in silver. Her face unseen. and as much as Tiri wanted to be seen by Elsa, to see Elsa one one one, without covering her face, it was too risky, too soon. Something told her, too soon to show her face to her... twin sister ? Now where in the name of all the broken ice on the Fjords did that come from ? Elsa her twin sister ? Impossible!

Unless...

Mark's gauntleted hand gripped the arm of the seat, claws digging into the wood as his eyes shifted once more. Mark placed his wine glass down with a startled grunt as something fought hard to escape his throat; something...unnatural. Not him. The strange voice that Mark kept hearing screamed to let him speak in his head, and eventually took control of Mark's throat for a second; long enough to spout the words:

 _"Xeir Zith!"_

Before Mark covered his mouth and gasped for air, taking control of his own body again. What the hell was going on? Everything ached; and Mark felt the presence of the man behind him again, sitting with his back to Mark's as he chuckled. _"If that don't wake her up... I'll have to try again."_

The room went deathly silent, Tiri seemed indifferent to what just happened, behind the silver shadows she raised a pale eyebrow towards Mark, OK... that was different... But it was Elsa she saw clearly that had the most reaction, her hands to her ears closing her eyes, once again the headache returned full blast. A single word on the wind was felt more then heard. A soft whimper of a question really. It was soft, only those it was meant for could hear it. _"Kaldakava ?"_

Elsa lowered her hands from her ears, it felt oddly stuffy in the dining room just then, like it needed either fresh air or made larger. But she did not want to do any reconstruction, so instead she flicked her wrist, snowflakes flung from her fingertips and opened the windows behind the woman in Silver. Ahhhhh. fresh air, perfect, now it felt... much better. Elsa then asked the question on their minds. "What just happened ? Mark ?!" She went to the table, seeing him there, the poor guy looked a wreck!

She stood next to him, reaching to him, the presence of Xeir Zith however was still in the room, but... not awake, not yet. "Are you alright, what happened ? I went to see you, but I met up with Snowfeather, I wanted to ask you something in private, tonight I normally go see my parents memorial stones, I want you to come with me. After everyone leaves tonight from the third night" Maybe a change of topic could be of help ? But the stillness of the room, even with the windows open, and the small voice on the wind, across the kingdom another heard the small voice upon the wind. Bright eyes seemed to glow as a smile graced the face of trhe owner of those eyes. he recognised the small voice. it was almost time.

Elsa briefly turned her gaze to Tiri, who still stood by the windows. The woman in silver, whose face Elsa couldn't see, seemed to just stand there, like a statue, "Do I know you ?"

"You should" Tiri replied calmly, "You summoned me, one of my girls had your summons waiting for me when I got back to my Den in the Talos District" Tiri explained. "Was there something you wanted ?"

"For this moment, yes, I wanted to see you. But now, I want to see to Mark, but, if I can see you after breakfast tomorrow ?" Elsa said

The hooded woman nodded. the hood bobbed a bit. "Yes, I can come to you or, if you want you may come to me. You may let me know later. For now I've important business to attend to." With Elsa seeing to Mark that gave Tiri and Marion the prime time to get Charity's orders completed at the Wolfe Manor. "I take my leave." with a bow the woman stepped past Elsa, and in doing so Elsa thought she saw past the silver shadows, and very briefly saw a pair of bright silver sapphire eyes, like her own, staring right back at her., but just as briefly as she saw those eyes, they were gone, was she looking in a mirror ?

Tiri left the diningroom, leaving Mark and Elsa alone, once outside the castle she headed for the Courtesan building by rooftop, once far enough from the castle and closer to the courtesans, did she stop for a bit of rest. She too felt the voice on the wind, Now she somewhat knew why Mark felt so... familar. It made her nervous. But only slightly so.

As Tiri left, Elsa turned her attention back to Mark.

 **Arendelle**

 **Wolfe District**

 **Ten minutes later**

After leaving the castle, it was eventful, Tiri had to talk to Marion, to figure out something important, the only prtonblem was, they had a task for Charity they had to attend to! Once in the darkness Tiri shattered into ice shards and slithered off into the backalleys and through gardens unseen as the next leg of the party was underway. It was important that the Icewrath not be seen by passerby or people of the kingdom as a whole, but alas that could not truly be helped as she came upon several patrols of Templars in one of the distrcts between the Wolfe District and the Marketplace and Roughwater Districts. Finally she made it to the place she and Marion were to meet. However there were a group of Templars already there.

She'd have to clean these men away, or at least figure friend from foe.

She did not have long to wait as it was clear these men were Assassin Recruits returning from a mission and were in fact looking for her as they were told to report to her, or to Georgina. And since they were unable to find the Roughwater Assassin, they instead met up with Tiri and gave their report on Templar movements within the kingdom. So far none of the Assassin's were able to recover or even locate the stolen ten billion gold

"What is the report ?" Tiri asked upon recognising the two foursome as Assassin recriuts

"The missing gold is not in Arendelle, if it is, he'd find it. Otherwise its too far gone, somewhere else not in the city or outlaying farms." Said one

"Well, have we noticed anyone being slightly richer in regards to what they currently possess, a nice home, new furnishings, prettier clothing ?" Tiri asked softly never revealing her face, only her silver eyes were seen behind a cloth mask.

"No, none that we can see, we're searching all the liberated distrcts" Said another recruit

"That may be the reason the gold is unfound. Liberate another district... wait. I will have Diana do it, go find the Roughwater Den and speak to the Den Master there. She will take care of things" Tiri said dismissing the four men, allready thinking in her mind iNever take a gamble without being ready to lose/i And she was ready to gamble, but lose ? Nah, she wasn't born for that. But something still bugged her, swiftly shattering again she slithered closer to where Marion waited and reformed next to her friend.

"We may have a problem finding that gold" Tiri said softly, but first thing was first. If someone had announced it they'd have a slew of old friends and distent realtives flooding them like old debt collectors, having the tendancy to turn up when you least wanted them. Then again the paranoia already floating in the Brothel concerning Charity never able to leave and Marion faking her name to go out and about and get so close to Mark in the first place made Tiri smile and remember something from the Ancient Days. iParanoia is a very comforting state of mind, if you think they're out to get you, it means you think you matter to someone/i Sadly, at this moment, both Charity and Marion mattered to the Templars. Which was why Charity now oversaw the Brothel, and Tiri went out with Marion desguised as a Silver Assassin

Before Marion could speak Tiri said softly. "it concerns your brother."

Oh dear

Marion blinked. "Mark? What's he done this time?" She asked calmly. Her voice sounded a tad bit muffled behind her scarf-hidden face, but it helped her hide who she was from anyone who wanted to know, and wasn't on that need-to-know basis. Like Mark.

"It is more of what he... said" Tiri said thoughtfully. "Though the voice in which he spoke... did not sound like him, if at all." She explained the weird sound to Marks voice, like that of an older yet more experienced man when Elsa entered the dining room, and of how Elsa reacted to such a name, as if she had a massive headache "I fear of what may happen should they be seperated for any length of time, Elsa also seemed to favor her right arm as well" Tiri sighed then "But until I can figure out what the connection is exactly, we have other things to attend to" like the missing gold. Ten billion of it at that, hidden somewhere in Arendelle. Plus finding what Marions mother wanted them to look for.

"I dunno...He's never done that before...Maybe it was a freak accident?" Marion shrugged, looking to her long-time friend. She sighed. She didn't know anything of Elsa's left or right hands to be certain; truth be told she wasn't even sure if Elsa was left or right handed as she'd never payed attention to that aspect of the Queen...

Might not want to tell anyone that.

"You're right though...any ideas where that Gold might be? That could fund a lot of things for a long time; it just depends on who gets it." she said calmly.

"Well, as of now only the liberated districts have been searched, we need to liberate a few more before we can search further, I sent two recruits to Georgina for further orders. Lets get what your mother sent us to your manor for first before worrying of any liberating." Best case scenario they only had to worry of traps set up behind those sealed doors. Tiri nodded towards the darkened Manor's side door they were closest to "Any movement ?"

Marion shook her head. "None; just Ulnaus who occasionally flies by, sits for a few minutes, then leaves." She explained. "If we get in now, we'll have a chance, any later and we'll have to wait another five minutes for him to fly off." With that she headed for the door of the manor, moving quickly as a speck became visible in the darkened sky - Ulnaus was coming quickly.

Tiri was in step with Marion, she sensed Ulnaus not far away and getting closer, possibly on patrol or the like. Using her own unquie style of Eagle Vision Tiri could see Ulnaus flight path of his patrol, at the very last second she ducked into a flowerpot loaded with snow, the perfect cover as Ulanus flew over her and perched on the other side of the massive statue. Not looking her way for the moment at least. Swiftly ducking from the pot Tiri headed for the door and slithered her icy form inside without a sound before reforming.

They were inside

Outside Tiri heard the rumble of far off thunder. Or was it really thunder ? Considering what Mark did earlier that day... it was possible that something else was rumbling, But seeing the dark clouds coming, it was to rain... turn into snow as well. The perfect getaway cover. Turning to Marion she nodded, giving Marion the lead. After all, she was raised for six years or so in that same house

Marion had managed to get inside before Tiri did, though did risk Ulnaus seeing her. Luckily he didn't as his eyes were fixed on another rat that scampered through the lawn of the Manor. As he moved to pounce it, Tiri had joined Marion. She looked to her Ice-Wraith friend and smiled softly. She heard the rumble of the thunder, almost felt it, too, and smiled more. "Perfect...come on, let's go." She nodded, heading towards the stairs. The Master Suite wouldn't be on the first floor, perhaps the second or third. Not the top, though...she knew it wouldn't be at the top for some reason.

Gut feeling? Ancestral memory? Likely the latter. "You check the second floor, I'll check the third, if you find the Master Bedroom, let me know; it'll probably have something with those five finger-holes again in it. I'll wager that's the safe my mother wants."

Tiri nodded "You think it is safe for us to split up ? Some of thse doors may be locked, and last I knew, unless you drank a potion or got visited by a witch or something, you cant shatter like me" The icewraith explained thoughtfully, however it made sense as they climbed the stairs to the second floor. Most of the doors were wide open to begin with, and one or two rooms had lights on where men were still working. All of them Assassins. One or two doing plumbings or tile work in a bathroom or two.

Tiri quickly shifted to her natural form then, "If I find it, what do I do ? Whistle or something ?" How was she to let her friend know she found what Charity sent them for in the first place ? This place was huge! easily drawfing the Brothel alone! though not as large as the Castle itself, it was still a big Mansion. Or rather more like a massive courthouse, which in some areas of the ground it kinda was at some point

"Come find me when you find the room, if you find it." She said calmly. What they'd do after they found it and and found the safe. If it truly did have the five finger lock, as Marion decided it should be called for sake of time, how would they open it? Only Mark's gauntlet could open it, and he had control over it completely. This would be interesting.

She walked up the next flight of stairs and began her search. Most of the rooms were simply sitting rooms or bathrooms. Minor Bedrooms, libraries, etc. For the life of her though she couldn't find the Master Bedroom.

Tiri nodded and started off down the hall as Marion went up. Going room to room, if the door was closed, and locked, she easily shattered and flit under the door seam at the floor before looking about, then unlocking the door, and closing it behind her. The icewraith never saw the snowman go up the stairs after Marion. But she did hear his voice echo through the place with a sudden iFLURK/i "WHOA HEADRUSH!" As the snowman, Olaf, walked carrot nose first into Marion's left knee.

In the second floor bathroom that Tiri stood near a voice called out "Hey did you hear something ?"

"Maybe, sounded like that Snowman, what was his name again, O something or other ?" said the second man

"You mean that harmless thing that wanders around chasing butterflies in the middle of winter ?"

"Yeah"

"Get back to work stupid, we heard nothing!"

Marion hopped back and took a quick fighting stance towards Olaf at first before realizing what he was. "A...Snowman?" She blinked and tilted her head slightly, furrowing her eyebrows..She'd heard the stories of Elsa creating life...but they were true? This...this was a lot to take in.

"Who-...what are you?" She asked.

"Just a second" Olaf said holding up a stick hand, he took off his own head, hit the back of it a few times on the floor, then nearly dropkicked it down the stairs just to get his nose to look right before putting it back on. "There, that's better, Lets try this again shall we ? I'm Olaf! And I like warm hugs!" He held his arms out ready for a hug, but none were immediately forthcoming so he gaving Marion a confused look as he stood there at maybe a third her hieght.

Well that explained his name, not what he was, or who made him, but hey he at least said his name to her! So that was good right ?

Marion raised a hand in denial of the hug; not wanting nor needing one at the moment. "W-what can I do for you...Olaf?" she resisted the urge to just leave and return to the brothel and tell her mother that she couldn't find anything, or head to a pub and get shitfaced-drunk.

"Also...the name's Mar-...Diana. Can you help me find the Master Bedroom?" she asked.

"Pleasure to meet you Diana!" Apparently the fact that she said her name too quickly and seemingly made no error in telling the snowman her name, Olaf naturally thought her name was Diana dead off the bat. Which in all things was a good thing. He nodded. "yeah why ?" He simply asked, why did she want to find the main bedroom in the place ?

On the other side of the property a silver haired man stealthly climbed the ornate fencing that marked off the formerly intricate lawns that designated the area as a private backyard.

Marion under the guise of Diana smiled. "Oh, I've been sent to give Master Wolfe an estimate on how much it would cost to return the room to its former glory, that the next Master of the house may use it." She smiled, lying through her teeth like rehearsed this a million times. Olaf seemed incredibly guillable, she'd use that to her advantage.

"Oh ? OK!" Olaf all but screamed and started off at a very cute very fast waddle before missing a step and falling down the stairs in half a dozen pieces "I'm OK! I'm OK! OW I'm not Ok!" that last part was rather muffled as his own butt smotherd his head. "Why is my butt in my mouth ?"

Tiri stared from where she stood as Olaf fefll into view. The heck ? Talking snowman ? Was that even possible ? Before she could move though the bathroom door opened and one of the workmen stepped out looking for what was making the noise. Spotting Olaf he never saw Tiri duck behind the nearby badly in need of repair painting next to the bathroom door. "Oh, hello Olaf, You haven't by chance seen anybody in here besides us right ? We're almost done with this bathroom. Dont let anyone in here when we leave so the floor can set properly." Oh who was he kidding, Olaf was a SNOWMAN for crying out loud, but yeah, Olaf was good at following orders, to a point.

Olaf of course was going to say he did find somebody, in this case Diana, but he was unsure to say anything, thankfully his own butt kept him from saying anything whatsoever as the workman smile when Olaf gave him a thumb up, yeah he could follow that order pretty well. The workman smiled and went back into the bathroom to finish laying the tile for the floor

Tiri stepped from behind the ruined painting and went to the stairs to the landing between floors and knelt next to Olaf, of coursed the snowman thought briefly that Tiri was Elsa and nearly screamed her name before she clamped a hand on his mouth to keep him quiet before he quietly asked "Why are you wearing silver... why wont my arms move ? Where'd my butt go ?"

Turning to Marion she asked softly, "Made a new friend I see ?"

Marion nodded softly. "Indeed; he can lead us to the Master Bedroom." she said calmly. She then set about helping Olaf rebuild himself quietly. "Olaf, this is Tiri, think of her as a secret sister to Elsa that she musn't know about, understand?" She asked sweetly, smiling a charming smile that was almost trademarked by the Wolfe Clan. Mark used it mostly when speaking to Elsa, when he did smile around her anyway. It was a sort of sign that said "You can trust me, don't worry about a thing."

Little did she know that this smile went back as far back as Second Wolfe, who used it first when raising his own children, and then when reassuring the Queen of Arendelle in her decisions. Almost every Queen had her own Wolfe; the two families were entwined so thuroghly that one would rarely see a member of the royal family without a member of the Wolfe Clan nearby. Silent protectors, best friends, occasionally lovers, even. Thus was the cycle in which the families lived. Always paired up as babies and raised together as siblings, as friends.

The bond was so strong that even when both families dwindled, as they did now; it was still never broken. Never fully. Elsa had Mark, which meant that Marion would be theoretically destined to be best of friends with Anna. However that would have to come later; after all this snooping around was done. When she could reveal herself to Mark and not fear what his reaction might be. When the Wolfe's were finally home.

"Its a snowman... a talking snowman. Tell me I'm not seeing things ?" Tiri mumbled softly watching as Marion helped Olaf put himself back together. "You're making a talking snowman, this isn't Frosty the Snowman, no hat, just talki... wait... Oh boy..." Tiri's trail of thought faltered as she realised what was going on. Elsa's magic had truly become enchanted enough to make and create breathing life! With that realisation in her mind she thoughtfully pointed a finger, "Two problems I see with this. one, its a snowman. And two, its a snowman that thinks I am the Queen... And three, why is there something tickling me in the butt ?" Reaching then looking to where she was kneeling she found Olaf's left hand and arm.

"AHA! I wondered where that went! Could you stick it back on me please, I kinda need it" Olaf said seeing his arm in Tiri's hand. Odd, her hands felt soft, like Elsa's hands, only, seemed more experienced. Tiri stuck the arm where it belonged. "Ah thanks, now, let me try this again, I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!... Its a pleasure to meet the two of you!" He nodded to Marion's question to keep the secret. To which he simply said "Yeah, why ?" as in, yes I can keep the secret, but why ?

Tiri rolled her eyes and then rubbed her forehead, this was gonna be a long afternoon for sure.

 **Arendelle Memorial Garden**

 **Royal Memorial Stones**

 **At that same moment**

Mark's armor had deteriorated until it was just his coat again; the headache he was getting from having such an extended proximity to that much _Duradaeden_ was taking an effect, and he needed to be fully aware of his surroundings when around Elsa. Presently he held her hand as they approached the grave stones of her parents. Back at the palace, Elsa'd been kind enough to give him another ribbon with which he could tie his hair back with.

Mark's eyes held an iron resolve to them at the moment, but at the same time the look of a man deeply and helplessly in love with the girl with whom he held hands with at the moment. His gaze turned to her and he smiled gently. "These stones...any guesses as to what they're made of?" he asked gently. He could easilly look it up in the Arendellian library, but he wondered if Elsa knew; and at present he did not know. If he had to guess, it'd be some sort of Granite or Limestone. Perhaps even Quartz, based on the faint shine each one seemed to have.

Elsa had walked hand in hand with Mark, to where her parents were laid to rest. the strange black stones, never weathered even with age, glittered bright, like smooth marble. "I do not know. I know only that Anna had picked the stones out for Mother and Father for their funeral. I... did not attend, I was too scared of hurting anyone with my magic at the time. But just between us, When night fell, I wanted to be with Mother. So I... snuck out of the castle and spent some time here." Elsa said softly, almost as if ashamed for having snuck out of her own home just to visit her parents graves alone.

"Is it important of what the stones are made from ?" She asked out of the blue. She wanted to ask him who Xeir Zith was, but felt better to wait, Mark looked a wreck at the time and she prefered him to be more proper. Besides, his being with her made things, at least for her, much better. Elsa turned and looked over the kindom, her kingdom. "If only mother could see the work I am doing, the work we are doing, bringing life back to Arendelle" She mused softly as a multicolored bird alighted upon her mothers memorial stone. It was a Macaw

Mark didn't answer as to the importance of what the Stones were made of; Elsa would come to reaslize that on her own soon enough; the importance of burial stones and what they be made of. What instead caught Mark's attention now was the Macaw. He smiled. "Ah, it's Kai's favorite bird..." he said softly. Strangely enough, birds from around the world had begun to come to Arendelle; for what reason only Mark knew, and he wasn't keen on telling anyone just yet. He clicked his tongue a few times; the Macaw let out a small squawk and moved to land on his outstretched arm, which was in front of Elsa.

"Meet Henry." Mark said softly as the lovely bird began to preen himself after letting out a small squawk and sort of bow to Elsa. "He's a Macaw; normally from South America." he explained calmly.

Elsa's eyes went wide as the bird, possibly one of the most beautiful birds she had ever seen in her life aside from the aboslute massive Ulnaus, came to rest upon Marks open hand, and very close to her own as well, when the bird gave a sort of bow towards her Elsa smiled, gently she reached up a hand, the Macaw, known to her now as Henry, briefly looked to her hand, and knowing she was gentle, let her rug her finger gently against his stomach of a sort. The feathers felt... interesting to be honest. "He's beautiful. I think I have seen him outside my window every morning recently, or maybe in the courtyard, with you feeding them all ?"

She then went slightly thoughtful as yet another bird alighted on her mothers memorial stone, this one a beautiful white Cocatoo. "How many birds did you bring along ?" She was normally used to seeing homing pigeons that the Recruits used to get their orders and to give orders. the white cocatoo gave off a brief squak and then flapped over to land upn Elsa's iced over hand without leaving injury on her. and began preening. Elsa was nervous, this was the closest she had ever been to such a beautiful creature in her life as long as she could remember!

Mark only smiled at Elsa's wonder. As she brought up him feeding the birds every morning, a sort of blush appeared on his face and he looked to her. "You...you saw me doing that?" he was confused. At the ungodly hour he did that, he was sure that no one was awake! Hell, half the time even he wasn't fully awake! He blinked a few times before the Cocatoo landed on Elsa's hand. "Ah! Petunia! What did I tell you about startling me!?" Mark scolded.

This prompted a Squawk and a "It's not nice!" from the bird. Along with a few "Pretty bird!" 's from the bird's mouth. Mimicry was strange, but at the same time the bird had listened and even responded to Mark. He truly could communicate with them...strange; but also alluring. Since his presence in Arendelle, and his increased activities as guard to Elsa; there'd been an increase in all types of birds, predator and prey alike. LIkely they were spies, with Mark using them to stay informed.

Ulnaus was king of them all, however; what with his absolutely massive, almost car-like size now he could kill anything he wanted; and not a damn thing could stop him. In fact, when he flew over the kingdom, one knew he was coming; the ever present dot that flitted around the sky gracefully was always on patrol. Always watching.

A sudden SQUAK! from above as a bird slammed into Marks head and hung on, only to hang in front of his face, a yes, the Goner, a Gooney Bird, could fly perfectly great, but lord alone knows why they couldn't land worth shit whatoserver as a Seagull landed perfectly atop Marks left shoulder saying simply "Mine..." as in, "bad news"

Elsa didn't notcie the newest arrivals right away as she nodded to Mark, "Yes, It woke me up this morning, but, I did not see you in the courtyard, the birds were all there but... you weren't ?" It didn't make much sense to her, but the good thing was, he was with her now, and they had a... Ok that was a new one. Elsa stared, as did Petunia, at the Gooney Bird, known only as Goner, hanging on Marks head squaking like crazy and a Seagull saying "mine" whatever that meant "Uh Mark... you have a... bird hanging from your hair" Elsa said, stating the blatantly obvious.

Mark only sighed, and nodded, grabbing the bird and placing it on his right shoulder. "Indeed I do..." he shook his head. He gently raised his arm and the Macaw flew off to Elsa's own shoulder, gently perching before continuing with his preening. Mark sighed once more, and looked around.

"The air...It's so pure here. I love it., so much clearer than Cairo." he said calmly.

Elsa barely felt when the macaw landed and then settled upon her shoulder. The Seagul however made her smile, it seemingly said one word over and over, "Mine" what did it mean ? So she ventured a simple question "What is it saying ?" Not knowing that Mark himself had no clue as the Gooney Bird, Goner, continued squaking madly, flapping his arms and then suicide diving, of a sort, out of Marks hands to land on the ground in a heap before getting back to his feet and flapping his wings to tangle once more on Marks head before flopping onto his shoulder. All the while the Seagul tried to translate what the Gooney Bird was saying, but nobody could understand Goner or Bob, so it was up in the air what they were saying

"You mean the air is not as crisp as it is in your town ?" She naturally thought Mark lived in Cario all his life, even though his family had a Mansion, an entire DISTRICT for pity's sake, named after them, it was hard not to. She'd have asked more had Henry not suddenly fallen off her shoulder, leaving some perch Marks of his talon feet briefly before she managed to catch the poor bird, who had a little dart sticking out of his butt. Just above his tail feathers.

uh oh

"MINE!" Squaked the Seagull in warning on deaf ears

Mark had no idea what the bird was saying. "No clue," he responded. As the bird flopped to the ground with a dart out of its ass, Mark blinked. What? Mark flinched and moved his hands to his ears as the Seagull squawked loudly. "Get outta here already!" He grumbled to the seagull, waving an arm at it. Then he looked back to the Gooney Bird, and at the dart. He blinked and his eyes widened, and he moved quickly, stepping in front of Elsa as his body began to glow, his armor slowly coming into view as he shoved his way in front of her, arms extended to provide maximum blockage.

Unfortunately it was not fast enough, Elsa focused on Henry, out cold from the dart didn't dare try to remove the thing, How could she fent she felt something like a fly bite her in the neck ? The last thing she heard was a sudden loud, very angry SQUARK! as Petunia took off at Marks command, news to be had for sure! as out of nowhere another dart came flying. Dead for Mark as Elsa fainted dead away, leaning heavily on Mark as her eyes closed, her ice fadeing from her hand as she lost all motor control.

Stupid CIA, was all she could think before darkness took her and she hit the ground.

Mark turned his head as Elsa leaned against him; but then he felt his own prick against his neck, and he blinked, his armor falling away. "Trust me, boy." the voice of that...man? Thing? Man...echoed in his mind. "I'll wake you when needed." Mark didn't exactly have a choice then, and as his hand went to his neck, he glared as his visiion began to fade. The CIA agents stared at them unfeeling through their sunglasses.

Mark's hand closed into a fist as he fell face-first into the grass; Elsa landing on top of his body.

Five men stepped into view. Two of them seemingly from nothing but thin air. "Gotta hand it to the guys in Oslo, they know their technology." The leader of the group said, "Bag them both, the parrot too. They all got info we need." And hopefully my ticket back home. The leader of the group thought seeing the man under the woman as they were both out cold. It was too good to be true really, but it worked.

"What about the bird that flew off Boss ?" Said one

"You mean the Gooney ? Leave it, cant land worth a fuck, so we're good, besides, who'd understand a bird like that ?" Said another of the group

"Pipe down, leaved the other birds alone, take only what we shot, we're on a budget here and the boys in Langley are getting restless." The leader replied, Marcus sometimes hated his job so much.

"Only what they shot meant," The woman, the guy, and the parrot.

As the men picked up Elsa, and then Mark, who even without his armor weight easily twice as much as Elsa, the Gooney Bird watched it all. With him was the Seagull, The two birds watched, then looked at each other, "Goners" Said the gooney bird, "Mine ?" Replied the seagull.


	25. Seqeunce 6 Memory 3

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 6**_

 _ **Memory 3: When It Comes To Money part 3**_

 **22 December 2051**

 **CIA Van**

 **Greensky District**

 **Just after dark**

 _"Though I walk through the shadow of Necromancers influence, I fear nothing, for I am what the Necromancer fears"_

 **Unkown caneticle verse assumed begun during the reign of the Wolf Queen Ingrid I circa 211 AAF {After Arendelle Founding}**

"Holy fuck this guy weighs a ton!" Complained one of the newer members of the CIA capture team. Three men had to carry Mark's prone form, another carried the parrot, and one carried Elsa firemans carry style.

"I agree with you there, what the hell did he eat ?" Complained the second of the three

"Dunno dun care" Said the third, "we get him to the van with the girl, then to the hotel in the heart of this place, its the last place any would look for them, besides we only need the guy right ?"

"Well fuck you too Barodi!" Said the first guy, keep with the plan, sure, that worked, like it did in Oslo.

"Not my fault Bernes!" Retorted Barodi as the men all but chucked Mark into the van, the last guy gently laid Elsa inside, the bird on the seat not far from Mark's hands, three of them out. one a parrot. Most interesting indeed

After closing the van the three men who carried Mark slumped hard against the surface of the vehicle. "What do you think he ate?" Bernes asked offhand

"I'mma wager he ate at least half a horse." replied Barodi

"Nah, screw that. Probably ate five cakes." said Jamison, the new rookie on the team was actually partly right, and So was Barodi

"Have you felt his body? No fat on that." Barodi replied

"No wonder he was heavy; you're more busy copping a feel." Bernes grumbled

"And you weren't? Honestly it's hard not to when the dude is flopping around in your arms." Barodi retorted

"You realize how gay that sounds right?" Jamison said

"Man, fuck you." Bernes and Barodi both said at once

"Gay times two." James retorted

"Swear to god I'll shoot you." Barodi grumbled already reaching for his sidearm

"Do it; then you'll only prove me right." Jamison smirked

"And what about Jules? He got to carry the girl. Think he got a feel?" Bernes asked of their team leader, the guy in charge ofthis whole op

"Can we not?" Jamison said quietly, almost scared shitless

"Why?" Barodi asked, clearly confused

"What if someone hears us?" Jamison said even quieter

"Too late for that... dumbass." Bernes replied

"Man fuck you guys." Jamison said just as their team leader, Jules himself, showed up

"Alright idiots, lock it down; time to blow this place in the dust." Jules said, not knowing just what Barodi mouthed to both his teamates, ' _Gay times three!_ ' to which Jamison flipped the finger at Barodi and climbed into the van

They all grumbled and piled into the van, their bickering continuing, just in a lower tone. It was two seconds later that they opened all six windows with Barodi all but doing a technicolor yawn out the window as Jamison screamed "Holy Shit! What did this guy roll in ?! He reeks!"

Jules was driving, of which none of the others complained, yet, his ability to drive the narrow streets of Arendelle was... to say in the least, very scary. He was no Jason Bourne or whateve that guy was from a few years back, but he did khave his skills. After taking a turn a bit too hard and nearly rolling the van, he turned to his fellows "What the fuck are you guys sitting around for ?! Make sure they're secured!"

Barodi took the liberty, strapping Mark in first before beginning to strap down Elsa. "You guys seen her? God damn..."

"You tryin' to make me think you're straight now?" Jamison smirked

"Hey y'know what? From your angle you got a better view." Barodi retorted, almost in an admitting tone

"Very true; right down the coreset." Jamison chortled

"Lucky bastards; I'm stuck back here with dead fatso." complained Bernes.

"Sucks to be you." The other two squawked.

Berns grumbled shaking his head before shifting uncomfortably "The fuck am I...oh shit the bird!" he said just as Jules leaned on the horn, glancing briefly at his commanding officer of a sort he then moved, stopping himself from crushing the bird's wing. "Great...a half dead bird and deadweight fatso."

"You do realize you're not wearing a seat-belt right? If you want a peek you can get your ass up and look."

Just as he did however Jules made another sharp turn, making the van jerk to the right. "When possible make a legal U-Turn" said the very snotty GPS After regaining his balance, he then was pushed forward when Jules slammed on the brakes; trying to set the GPS so that it would work correctly. Being jerked forward caused Bernes to half vault, half flop over the back of the seat, and land face-first into Elsa's cleavage.

Poor girl.

 _"I'll fuckin' kill 'em." Mark said simply as he watched from outside his own body. The man in white robes stood beside him; just outside of his peripheral vision._

 _"Patience child. You'll have a chance soon enough." His voice replied, the tone just slightly calmer than Mark's. They watched as the men fixed themselves and eventually stopped their oogling at the poor unconscious Queen of Arendelle._

 _Mark sighed, his lip twitching. "What did... what'd she call you at the dinner? Kal...da-"_

"Kaldakava" _The man in white replied. "It is my true name; and I made you utter hers in an effort to wake her...it almost worked...but not enough. She will need another big push, or a series of smaller ones." he sighed, turning swiftly, but slowly to the right as he paced in the white expanse around them. "There are a great many things you will come to understand in due time my boy, just as there are a greater many things that bshe/b has yet to understand." He gestured vaguely in the direction of Elsa, and for a second Mark did not see his beloved Queen, but the figure of another woman, taller, with more defined features, slightly larger hips and a very slight bulge in her belly. She vanished with a blink, but one thing lingered in his mind as he opened them again: Wings._

 _Kaldakava was staring as well, and he let out a slow, shaky breath. "Soon..." he whispered before resuming his pacing._

 _"W-was she..."_

 _"Xeir Zith. My love, and your Love's true form. She is her reincarnation as you are mine. You could say... destiny decreed that you come to Arendelle; to the land of your Lover, to your kin. Your Fa-"_

 _Mark raised a hand, and Kaldakava stopped. This subject was sensitive, the white-robed man known that by now._

 _"I'm sorry." He paused for a second before clearing his throat and finally allowing Mark to gaze upon him fully. His jaw and other facial features were chiseled as if out of stone, the only marred feature being the crooked nose, which also bore a deep scar off to the right side. Soothing Hazel Bronze irises surrounded the piercing Draconian pupils. Slowly the robes moved, proving to be wings; though more feral-like than the majestic ones Mark had seen from Xeir Zith, bat-like almost, but still majestic all the same. Under them he still wore white robes, though they were more form fitting and from what Mark could guess, this human form before him weight a good one hundered and sixty pounds of raw muscle. Though how much of it he could use was beyond Mark's understanding at the moment._

 _Mark's eyes flashed bronze a bit and he stook a step back._

 _"Strange...I know. But you'll get used to it. The more you and I become one, the more our features will merge. You will lose weight, but will gain boundless strength, and so on and so forth. The same will go for her; Her own muscle definition will increase just a tad, enough to be visible plainly while under strain, and her hips will widen; after all... She was a mother..." there was a pause, Mark opened his mouth. "Xeir Zith, not Elsa... Light no. Too young for children. Though I'm... not sure about... nevermind, worry about that later."_

 _"I'll wake you when the time comes. Don't worry, Mark. Put your trust in the Light."_

The room faded around Mark, and he groaned and shifted a little in the seat, causing every CIA Agent in the van to pause and look on in horror at him for a few seconds before continuing their conversations.

"God I hate this GPS! Who the fuck set this thing up for me anyhow ? I aint British! I'm American! Who set this fuckin' thing on British butler ?!" Jules grumbled as he hit the brakes a second time in two seconds and shifted the van into reverse and floored the gas pedal. Egads this town had tiny narrow roads! "This place is harder to navigate then Cairo during a soccor roit!"

"I didn't know you liked sports!" Barodi spoke up

"Still trying to make yourself straight to me huh ?" Jamison spoke up

"Fuck you asshole" Barodi grumbled

"No thanks, I got a wife for that" Jamison replied

"Now that's some kinky shit."

"Son of a bitch god dammit"

"Duck stupid I'm driving!" Jules grumbled wehacking at Barodi as he was trying to see behind the van as he still kept his foot on the gas before turning the van's front wheels and the van spun about and hit shifted into drive and floored it once more. This time not down a one way dead end street

 _"Are you sure showing him that much was proper ?" Said a calm voice, a silver haired man sat at a living room table, surrounded by whiteness, gold lines trailed in places as the man drank from a wine glass. "It could put him into shock. You, into shock." The golden eyes stared unblinking towards Kaldakava as the man remained calm where he sat. "Tell me Kalda, my friend. What exactly did you feel, when She entered the room ?" And by she, he meant not Elsa, but Tiri. very briefly the mental image of the Assassin woman, the keeper it seemed, of the brothel girls in the Kingdom, was seen as if standing beside a window, her face and head covered in silver cloth_

 _The younger male was silent for a few moments before answering. "Had it put him into shock, he would awaken when his comrades found him like they are meant to." he said calmly. He knew Mark's connections, and with him being with the queen, anything happening for more than an hour or two alone between them boutside/b the castle would never be unnoticed. By now there was a searchparty of the best Assassins in the kingdom. Plus Ulnaus._

 _When the second question came, Kalda turned towards the silver haired man, and sat across from him finally. "My heart soared higher than it had previously; there was her body; which I protected for so long... which I loved and held... I'm surprised that having both halfs of her in the same room didn't make me go into shock and take the boy with me, or force me to fully manifest entirely..." he admitted. He then sighed and poured himself a glass of wine. "But with all due respect my old friend... what do you care?"_

 _"I care a great deal, for you, Her, and your child you never got to see" Jarius replied calmly, "The woman in silver, she looks like the queen, Xeir Zith reborn, yet she is not, she has lived outsider Arendelle at the requqest of Elsa's mother, the reason was to protect someone, who I do not know, but all I do know was to protect someone important to Him, you. Idun is alive and well. But where she is I do not yet know. You and he both know this clearly, yet I feel... Him... He you know as the one your beloved felled before she fell. Your boy must follow what Elena has set forth, what she has forseen must come to fullfillment. His heart, and yours will lead you astray, and yet, I fear for your child."_

 _He took a sip of wine, mentally bringing up in golden light a brief image, it was one of Marks memories, the briefest of glimpses at Elsa's journal, the drawing of the egg, and the child, and Elsas own mother caring for the child. the golden image focused on the egg. "Do you recognise this Kalda ?" Jarius asked softly, "Do you know now why I fear for your boy, his beloved Queen, and their child. Your child. Xeir Zith's only offspring."_

 _The image faded, replaced by a meeting between a group of people, It showed five standing out clearly, Two of them women, three of them men. Among them was a dark suited man, a mostly bad man in a bad wig, and another man with badly trimmed sideburns, the two women however one appeared quite young, almost like a child, the other, thanks to Jarius' magic, appeared as if dead._

 _"She's back." Jarius said simply. Meaning the Wolf Queen, Elsa's ancestor by blood, and yet, her enemy._

 _Kalda bit his bottom lip as Jarius spoke calmly. He didn't speak, but nodded along, sipping wine. At the mention of his and Mark's hearts leading them astray, he paused. "I...don't follow. Never before has it done so. Why would it do so now?" He asked calmly. He reached up and tied his hair back, producing a ribbon from his sleeve as he did so, the long flowing hair elegant and shining bright. His face was eerily calm, though perhaps it was always so, as the large scar upon his nose was probably also linked to some minor nerve damage in his face, not allowing him to express too much if any emotion very visually._

 _At the news of the Wolf Queen coming back, his lip twitched, and there was nothing but rage and hatred in his eyes, though the rest of his face didn't move. "That... **thing** is back?" He spat with absolute disgust. "The same _**vobit soneir conros** _that gave me this scar?" he snarled; one that would remind some of Draco's ferosity for a moment before a single tear fell from his right eye, his lip still twitching softly._

 _"The one and the same shit eating witch, though the younger one, I cannot place her. But I fear like I said, for your child. She hatched about thirteen years ago." Jarius replied, he knew of the battle, he even offered to heal his dear friend of the scar. But no, Kalda had insisted on keeping it. But Jarius was never told why._

 _"Guilt will drive Mark from Arendelle, guilt that, while not his doing, will be understandable. He will have you to rely on during his time away. But it will be someone coming to him, someone coming, **to you** that will bring you home. Where you belong." Jarius said simply. "The Templars want something, they plot and plan. the Wolf Queen returns, and with her her pawn,; but the child, yours, is at stake, darkness touched her yet purity broke her from his grasp."_

 _"Oh how could I not place it! Of course! It makes sense now!" Jarius stood up then and stepped to the image, pointing at the younger woman in it, "She has her mothers eyes. Yes, I know her now. Kethend had children. He... has children..." Jarius went thoughtfully quiet. The room shook slightly as the van outside the whiteness hit a bumpy patch in the road._

 _"Kalda, Protect them both, Xeir Zith may not awaken for some time yet, and when she does, only she will know the time to do so, but until then, you must protect them both. let me worry of your child, Xeir Zith will come to you, herself, when she feels the time is right." Jarius turned to his friend, a gentle smile upon his face, "Dont worry, You and Xeir Zith will be together again. After all, I made arrangements for Princess Anna and young Kristoff; to get wed. I am sure the necklaces will come in quite useful. You and Xeir did the same before you went to fight that vobit soneir if I recall correctly."_

 _Kalda was silent the entire time; but nodded at the end of his talk. "Indeed we did; though the design was...slightly different." he said; his didn't have the Assassin's symbol on it; but otherwise the design remained the same. He sighed, and as the room shook again, possibly from Ulnaus dropping a large rodent on the top of it, he sighed once more. "I should go...Mark's companions will be looking for him soon enough."_

 _With that he finished his glass of wine, stood, and bowed softly to Jarius. "I'll take your words to heart. Believe me, and Trust in the Light." he said calmly, the same ceremonial words he'd said to Mark before leaving his presence._

 _Jarius smiled and bowed in return with a slight dip of his head towards his friend, Yes, Jarius thought, it was time for the party to begin for that day. "Go, wake up your boy, protect them all. May Mothers' Light go with you." The whiteness faded as Kalda left, Jarius with it. He had someone he needed to see, two someones in fact, perhaps three_

The van lurched to the side as the massive eagle rammed into it from above, but Jules, the man at the hweel, kept the van steady. He was happy it was not an RV, those suckers were hard to stop. Slamming on the brakes, nearly sending Barodi dead through the windshield at the massive eagle in doing so, he shifted into reverse once more and floored it. How the fuck did that bird find them so fast ?

 **Twenty minutes before**

 **Marketplace District**

It took a while for the white bird, a beautiful Cocatoo to get to the right place, she wasn't a homing pigeon, but she could speak, mostly. But what she was not expecting whatsoever was nearly getting eaten by her... well sorta father as Ulnas was her elder in many ways. She was scared, weakened severely from flying so hard from the Memorial Stones that she was simply limp in Ulnaus massive talons that held her gently. Petunia was one of the prettiest solid white Cocatoo's in the kingdom. And she was also Snowfeathers favorite, but the question remained, where was Ulnaus taking her ?

With a small glance to Petunia, Ulnaus let out his signiture screech, and banked softly to the left before letting out a large flap of his powerful wings. He tilted downwards then, and half divebombed, half gracefully flew towards where he knew Snowfeather was, using his ...well...own Eagle Vision to find her. He was a giant Eagle after all. As some civilians scattered, having never seen Ulnaus this close before, he tilted back and slowed down exponentially, landing on a free talon while his other one set Petunia down on the ground before Snowfeather.

A few clicks of his beak and a gentle nudge was all it took to get the Cocatoo talking again.

With a thankful squak to Ulnaus Petunia shook herself rather comically as she struggled to stay on her feet as Snowfeather stepped into view, her assassin hood down the long brillian white hair of the woman; clearly just woken up from a catnap, {or did she just shout out her children for the third time that day ? with her it was hard to impossible ot really tell at that point}. "Ulnaus ? Petunia ? What's going on ?"

"AWK! trouble!" Petunia said, Snowfeather picked up the Cocatoo gently and held a hand up to keep Ulanus calm for the moment to wait a moment to let Petunia explain,

"Easy girl, you're tired, i can tell, didn't you fly off with Henry ? Where is he ?"

"AWK! Asleep!... Pretty woman too! All asleep! AWK!"

OK that didn't make much sense. atl east until the stupid seagull translator and his Gooney bird friend slammed into her

"Goners!" was all the gooney bird said, Petunia seeingly just raised an eyebrow of a sort. Oh brother.

"Well, Henry asleep, did Mark sing again ?" Petunia shook her head "OK if Henry is asleep, wait, pretty woman... oh dear. OK ,Petunia, who did you and Henry go see ?"

"AWK! Queen, Pretty Woman,... Henry sleep, ALL SLEEP! AWK!"

"Goners!" the Gooney bird, known only as Goner, said

"AWK SHUT UP!" Petunia screeched at the gooney bird

This was gonna be a long day.

"Petunia, focus on me girl, what happened ? Tell me in order of events you remember." Snowfeather said, she could tell Ulnaus wanted to get going and fast

"CRACKER PLEASE AWK!" Snofeather handed one over, Petunia always ate and spoke at the same time so, around the cracker she said "Henry and Pretty Bird" meaning herself, "flew off from homestand, AWK! Land on Pretty Woman hand, pretty woman hold Pretty Bird, Henry fall asleep AWK, Pretty Woman Asleep, ALL ASLEEP! AWK!" OK putting that in her head made Snowfeather think carefully, the only woman Petunia really refered to as Pretty Woman was Elsa or herself, and Petunia always refered to herself as Pretty Bird, so if Henry was aslepe and Elsa was too...

"Oh no. Ulnaus, sky, know, find Elsa, now, go!" Snowfeather said, "I'll be right behind you!"

"Cracker gone. AWK Still hungry!" Petunia was truly exausted.

"Mother, whats wrong ?" it was Serena

"No time, take care of Petunia, send your sister to where the fighting is, hurry!" Snowfeather said handing Petunia to her elder daughter and disappearing with the cry of a eagle after Ulnaus

 **Present time**

"Where the fuck did this bird come from ?!" Jules shouted as he struggled to keep the van on the road, apparently the massive eagle wasn't interested in rolling them over, just trying to keep them distracted. Jules spotted something out of the corner of his eye, a woman standing in his path. He leaned on the horn. but Snowfeather never moved

And so it was that Jules, without thinking of course, turned instead of hitting the breaks, causing the van to tilt and eventually roll, a mere foot from Snowfeather before stopping with the help of a gush of wind from Ulnaus' wings on all four wheels. The goons inside had to right themselves, having used all the seatbelts on Mark and Elsa, and shook their heads. "Jules! What the fuck man?"

"You think you can drive better than me? Even with a dumb bitch in the road?"

"I'd like to think so, yea!" Barodi taunted, shaking his head again.

"Yea, yea, fuck you; ungrateful little shit." Jules grumbled as he tried to start the engine again. He wouldn't get the chance, however as Ulnaus slammed onto the hood, his talons puncturing the metal like paper, and tearing apart the engine like a katana through hot butter. He let out a screech and pecked a few times at the windshield before breaking it , and snapping at Jules' hands, stopping him from getting his gun.

With Ulnaus distracting on the front Snowfeather lifted a foot and set it on the front bumper of the van as it halted a foot in front of her with a solid THUNK, stopping the thing in its tracks before smirking at the men, she recognised one of them, Barodi. One of the few survivors she left in the Oslo branch, she stepped around to the passenger side of the van and grabbed the door, all but driving her fingers into the thing as her claws slid from her finger tips into the steel, with a soft grunt she wrenched the door clean off the van and nothing was between herself and Barodi. "Hey there stupid" Snowfeather said to the man, "Remember me ?"

All she got in response was two gunshots in her direction, which of course missed completly as she was moving before he fired. Next thing Barodi knew he was pulled from the van by the woman.

"Man, why is it he keeps trying to prove he's straight ?" Jamison asked nobody as Barodi and Snowfeather got into a fistfight then and there.

Barodi of course heard it all "Fuck, you, asshole" He said with each strike at Snowfeather. But the feline woman was faster, smarter, and a whole lot more dangerous as she threw something into the van, a waterballoon.

" _Mark! Wake up stupid!_ " Snowfeather screeched in Hebrew to her son. Why was he asleep ? He was conditioned for this wasn't he ?! Snowfeather twisted out of Barodi's grasp and kicked him hard in the chest, sending him flying backwards as the other men piled out of the van, Jules clearly upset because the van was a rental

 _Shit, waterballoon!_ Mark, with the help of Kaldakava, was jumpstarted, and jolted awake, managing to catch the waterballoon and then blink as he couldn't move at all. "Mornin' fellas!" he said to the other two CIA goons in the van. He chucked the waterballoon at one of them while the other launched a punch towards him. He leaned back and dodged the punch, twisting some of the seatbelt arond his arm and then headbutting him. He managed to undo one seatbelt before another punch came, and landed square on his forehead, causing a crack in the man's hand. Mark shook himself back to reality and undid another seatbelt.

He back-handed the tied up agent as he got his arm free, and kicked the other one back, having to dodge again by swinging his legs around and pinning the guy against the back rest , his legs managing to find away to keep the guy sill while his right arm worked on freeing him from the seatbelts.

"How's he doin' this?" Jamison growled, stuck against the seat cushion.

"Fuck if I know." Bernes yelled back, pulling his gun out.

"Oh god not you too!" Jamision complained while reaching for his own gun, which was stuck in the seatbelt

"Not the time fellas!" Mark said, unlatching his final seatbelt and with a grunt, liffting himself up, using Jamison as a balance point for all of his weight at once Mark spun on his heal, tearing Jamison's clothes while he kicked the gun from Berens' hand. He then completed it by bouncing off of and completely breaking the window with a hook kick to the man's face, knocking him cold. Then, grabbing Jamison, Mark got off of him, and rammed him forward into the other window, knocking him out while also throwing him out of the van.

After he was done, he sat for a second and let out deep breath. Then he remembered that it was also two on one outside for Snowfeather, and without a second's hesitation, leaped from the missing door to super-man elbow Jules right in the jaw, shattering it, but not knocking the massive man out. "Peek-a-boo!"

Snowfeather was actually doing pretty good, even so far as attracting some onlookers, and... some Templars ? Outside an inn was where they stopped, and this place was at the moment Templar heaven, Unarmed yet deadly Snowfeather kept on her feet and Barodi hammered at her crazily, joined briefly by Jules, whose attention was almost instantly taken by Mark, as Snowfeather slammed her fists dead into Barodi's chest, he'd be needing a doctor for sure. A gunshot rang out as some Templars entered the fray, yet the shooter was taken out almost instantly by a Gooney Bird. Slamming into the man like a frieghttrain from the sky, Goner, Petunia, and the Seagull made life absolute hell for the shooter.

Snowfeather turned slightly at the gunshot, it barely missed her, slaming into the brick behind her. But she felt the heat of the shot as the bullet went by. Great, Just what they wanted. Seeing Mark awake, finally! She spoke " _See to Elsa, get her out of here, Ulnaus and I can handle this!_ " She told him as she punched the lights out of one of the Templars who got too close without looking at the man, the guy hit the ground, dead. his eyes missing

Snowfeather knew how to really play it dirty.

Small wonder why Idun sent Mark with her when he was a boy. He had learned from possibly the most deadliest person on the planet pretty much all his life!

Mark nodded. " _Be careful... mom._ " he replied calmly before untangling Elsa from the seatbelts while Ulnaus terrorised any other would-be shooters by clawing their arms off. Grabbing Elsa and carrying her bridal style, Mark turned and looked quickly; heading for the first place he knew they'd be safe. Which unfortunately for Elsa was the sewers. Bolting quickly, he vanished behind a corner, then opened the small gate, dropping into the sewer system and having to slow down his breathing in order to not smell the rancid odors that thrived down there. He looked to Elsa and smiled softly, balancing her against the dry, and mostly clean wall he placed his finger to her lips, to see if she was still breathing. With a sigh of relief upon finding that she was, he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss before picking her up and getting up on the walkway just above the sewage, setting her in his lap as he sat against the wall he held her close and gentle, waiting for the metaphorical storm to pass.

Unfortunately the blood shortly followed Marks footsteps as Snowfeather rarely left living Templars in her wake, living CIA, yes, but templars, no. Exactly eighteen Templars oversaw that den, and the man she had made dead, and eyeless, was none other thne the district captain. Within moments, thanks to Ulnaus and the other birds she set the signal fire, thusly liberating the district, The Telois District was the same district she then saw, that had the stolen ten billion gold.

"Stupid Templars hoped to sneak it out did they ?" She patted down a few of the men, finding orders of what to do with the gold, buy weapons, that was it, enough weapons to outfit an entire private army! She then saw who issued the order. Folding the letter she slid it into her bra to keep it safe then left the inn, the owner of which recognised her and asked simply "are they gone ?"

"Yes, the lot of them. Here, they owed you this I assume ?" She tossed the inn keeper a bag of silver shards. The entire sum she had take off the dead outside. She then went looking for Mark, knowing only that the safest place was the sewers, The only problem was she was never intendding to get tackled into the place by Barodi and his goons!

Slamming into the sewer grate thanks to Barodi, Snowfeather landed head first in the rank below. Barodi jumped after her, the knee deep sludge and otherwise stank sure, but not as bad as Mark from the Dead City that belonged to the Wolf Queen for millenia. A frantic fistfight followed in the Sewers just around the corner of Mark who held Elsa in his arms. Blood dripped down a wall not far away. Templar blood.

But away from the fighting, around the corner, safe in Marks arms were two people, well, a person and a bird, but to Mask the Birds counted as people. Henry was unharmed, just sleepy as hell, The other person in his arms was starting to wake up because of the smell, and something else. Very briefly a glint of silver appeared over Elsa's left eye, almost like a dragon scale. But it quickly faded as she murred something, her nose wrinkling from the stench as she started to wake up

Mark gently tended to Henry while he waited for Snowfeather to return, and after making sure he was alright, he sighed, releived. The glint above Elsa's eye caught his own eye, and he turned his head to look at her, blinking as his eyebrows furrowed. "Elsa?" He called out gently. "You'll have to pardon the smell...this was the safest place for us." he said, repeating it a few times as she woke up to make sure she could undesrtand him. Waking up from Sleeper darts was harder than she remembered, no doubt.

"You'll be alright... I just don't know what to do next yet..." that was a first; Mark not knowing what to do... a first indeed. He always knew; or at least pretended to know anyway.

He sighed and leaned his head against the wall again. He heard the commotion, but recognized Snowfeather's movements anywhere, and wasn't worried. He let out a faint bird-call to let her know where he was, the whistle echoing perfectly to her sensitive ears.

It was all she could do to keep from throwing up then and there from the stench, so instead she said softly as she felt herself safe in Marks arms, "What stinks ?" Apparently she had no idea whatsoever what she had just been through, and niether of them had any idea of what they were going to go through next! Silver sapphire eyes looked confused to Mark, he didn't know what was to happen next ? So she ventured another question, "Why do I feel like I was hit by something ?" Apparently Elsa was so out of it from the sleeper dart that she didn't even feel when Bernes slammed into her while in the van. "Where are we ?"

She felt weight on her stomach while in Marks arms, Henry laid there asleep, occasional twitching, and talking in his sleep, "Whose a sleepy birdy ? AWK! Sleepy bird... no cracker please I'm trying to sleep..."

 **Arendelle**

 **Location Unknown**

 **District Unknown**

 **Templar Den**

The man screamed as he was slammed onto the desk by a young girl, a teen looking girl at that. His arm puled back and about to break. "Tell me again how, without money, you can still function ?" The girl said, the black scales glittered under her eyes like tatoos as the Templar Captain, a man named Reynek, struggled in her iron grip to not break his arm. The man cried out as the woman ever so ungently put pressure on her preys arm behind his back with his head smushed against the desktop. "You either tell me, or I break your arm in six places" Apparently the Twins, of which, she was Twin Two, known commonly as Nasty, even by her mothers terms, she really was mean, and taking after her beloved father, Lord Draco himself. She and her twin sister, Twin One who everyone execept Nasty refered to as Boss, though many behind her back called her Brutus Wannabe, was somewhat nicer. Brutus was just a dumb lout nobody really cared for. He was more interested in spreading wild oats while he still had the time to do so, iSo much for him being mothers legacy bearer!/i. Nasty thought

"It was hidden well, the Assassins hadn't taken the district yet, we hid it in the inn in one of the rooms there!" Reynek replied as clearly as he could through the pain. Nasty pulled the arm a bit, lifting the cloth from the shirt, Reynek winced as he spoke "The ten billion was enough british pounds to keep us running in the background like always, unseen, hidering the Queen's expansions and liberations of the kingd AAHH!" Reynek screamed out when Nasty let him go, he fell to the floor and she kicked him sending him flying to the door. He struggled to his feet as Nasty went to the window.

"Tell me then, Where. Is. The. Money ?" Apparently it did not occur to the Templars that the money was for something much more important, much more needed. Turned out that Jr and Taris were not the only two charged with finding someone deadly important to their beloved father.

"An outside source rented the room we hid the pounds sterling in, Next thing we knew, we lost the District to the Assassin's, the one from Cairo. She took the district on her own, left no Templar alive. but the outside source got away, last I heard as you and Boss were arriving, there was still fighting, The Cairo Marauder, and the outside source were going at each other. Word was too the outside source had captives, The Queen and her boyfriend. Next thing we knew, the district was lost, and, presumably, the money."

If Nasty was upset, she never showed it, it was one of the perks of being the daughter of one of the most deadly and powerful dragons in the world. A faint smile graced her face as she then asked simply "Where did they go when the fighting began ? The queen and her... bodyguard I mean" If Nasty was playing not so nasty, it was a very well planned rouse on the spot.

Her smiled only widened as the reply came of "The sewers" It was not every day the Queen went near the sewers to begin with!

"In the sewers you say ? Well, I've been working on my slimeball recently" Nasty mused thoughtfully. As she spoke three Shadowlings showed up from the dark corners of the room, "Take him away, I'll worry about him later, and find my sister too we got work to do, her and I"

"Yes Ma'am" Said one of the shadowlings.

Nasty thought it time to have some fun. So she barked out, "Right shoulder arms! Left face! Forward march you Morons..." The three shadowlings started marching but Reynek remained standing where he was, Nasty looked at him completely confused, "What's your problem ?"

"I'm not a Moron" Reynek replied in a haughty tone

Nasty smirked if that was how he wanted it... "Alright fine, Forward March, iYou Idiot/i" She replied

Reynek pointed at her with a nod "That's different"

He marched out of the room with the three shadowlings as Nasty just rubbed her forehead, "Why me ?" She asked herself, why did she have to work with the idiots and morons ? iWell, its better then working with Runt or Jr, I'm honestly surprised Papa wants them together to find Momma/i

Eventually one of the shadowlings sent out would find who they were looking for; the other twin. Commonly referred to as simply boss, her real name was Sutri, which was short for Boss in Draconian, anyway so it fit. She was surrounded by a small group of assassins; all of whome looked caught extremely off-guard. In the center of the group Sutri was performing a slow, methodic...dance of sorts. The shadows in the area swayed as if to a drum-beat. Her body moved sensually, dancing back and forth while her clothing, also apparently made from shadow, it seemed, would in some places remove itself and strike an assassin to kill them; revealing parts of her body most will never hope to see before killing someone.

Bodies flew across the street as the dance continued, erotic and sensual the Assassins stood there stunned, male and female alike. "What's the matter, dears? Never seen how a True Shadow-Weilder fights?" She winked to them all before spinning, tendrils exploding from her clothing to leave her practically wearing nothing as they struck out and killed all but one of the remaining assassins, who drew her blade and charged out of a fearful rage.

She was stopped, however, as a Tendril shot forward from Sutri's body, skewering her body through the stomach while the other tendrils retracted to the young woman's body, and she walked-hips swaying-towards her newly ...perhaps captured isn't the best word...procured meal. She licked her lips and stopped a foot away from the Assassin, who clutched at the tendril that stabbed her through the body through her stomach, blood dropping from her lips.

Sutri leaned forward with a smile and wiped the blood off before bringing it to her mouth, licking it off as if it were a lollipop. "I shall enjoy your corpse the most, I think." She said before planting a kiss on the female's forehead, hands coming up to caress her cheeks before she violently twisted her head, snapping the neck and letting the body droop to the ground immediately. Sutri shifted her weight to one leg, hip being pushed out seductively as she did so, and she spread her arms out, the Tendrils appearing again and bringing each Assassin body into her own which rumbled and shook with each body, crunching and belching echoing in the street. When it came down to the last Assassin she'd killed, Sutri smiled and lifted the body up with a Tendril. Her body then expanded and surrounded the corpse, devouring it as it closed around it, leaving her perfectly propotioned body to stand there, and pat her stomach whilst licking her lips.

She smiled again, turning to the Shadowling.

The Shadowling didn't move, scared out of its wits but then again Boss always ate like that, the Shadowling said nothing until Sutri turned to look at it, Saluting comically the Shadowling stuttered out, "Master Nasty wants you, wont say why, just to find you and have you go to her" the poor Shadowling was scared out of not only its wits, but its crap too as it had soiled itself in its fear. It waited for Sutri's answer, scared that it might be the Dragons next meal, which thankfully it wasn't.

Sutri smiled and seductively walked towards the Shadowling caressing its face gently. "Then you should have told me as soon as you arrived, dear." She smiled. Her hand then straight through its throat into its skull while its face bulged with fear, suprise, and astonishment. "Won't make that mistake again; now will we?" She giggled before twirling off into the distance to find her dear sister. She entered the room, dragging another Shadowling by the hair behind her with a Tendril, humming to herself. "Thought you might want a punching bag, dear sister Nasty~" She smiled.

Nasty sat at the desk, her feet on it, the black shadowy boots seemed to steam off smoke and sludge, after all they took after their Father the most. "What kept you ?" The room was an absolute mess, broken everything pretty much, including windows, chairs, the desk was mostly in one piece though it was missing a leg or two and was supported by two dead men on one side. the windows were still workable, and the walls needed a new coat of paint, yet Nasty appeared bored, yet oddly happy as hell. She was planning something. She waved her hand at the offer of the punching bag "I got a better plan. Word reached me that the queen of this city is, get this, stuck in the shit down below, her and her body guard. and the money we need not far from them too." Nasty looked bored out of her mind, yet sounded excited as hell.

Nasty smiled and stood up "You ready ? We got a job do to so lets do it..." She saw her sister standing there then with the shadowling and smirked "Keep it bound I might need it later, come on. we got a queen to drown and money to find Mother to find!" With that the nearby shadows started to form a door into darkness


	26. Seqeunce 6 Memory 4

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 6**_

 _ **Memory 4: A Snowflake within A Snowflake part 4**_

 **22 December 2051**

 **Arendelle Sewers**

 **Scala District**

 **Full Dark**

 _"Relax Mother, I dunno the meaning the word 'fear'_

 _"Say your prayers icewraith!"_

 _"Fear noun, a state of terror, AHHH!"_

 _"Incoming!"_

 _ **KABOOM!**_

 _"YAAAAAHOOO!"_

 **Tiri and Diana reacting to a Templar ambush while with The Light Dragon**

The sewers of Arendelle were a maze, Arendelle itself was built layer upon layer as well as the sewers below, yet with all the shadows, two dragons matrialised into being within the passage around the corner from their prey. The Queen of Arendelle, within their grasp at last!, they were closer to their Mother then they had been in years! Nasty peeked around the corner, Her black eyes filtered through the shadows before their lumicent green flickered into view. A evil smile graced her face. Pulling back behind the corner she leaned against the shadowy wall next ot her twin "They're there, about twenty paces away from us. Possibly more" She was giddy with anticipation, "With the Queen in our grasp, we're closer to Mother then we have ever been!" She was all but jumping up and down with joy over such a thing.

Sutri smiled at that thought; finally...their mother...after so long. Her heart ached softly, but she hid that fact. "You attack from the far wall, I'll stay on this wall...try to seduce her protector." She smiled, melding slowly into the wall they leaned against, a shadow among shadows forming along the wall that moved slowly and silently around the corner and towards to where Elsa lay in Mark's protective embrace.

Nasty snickered, Nodding she held up a hand, "OK, far wall, box them in, seduce the guy, we want them both alive, and no not for eating Papa will want to talk to them I think" She had no idea how right or how wrong she'd be, but honestly, they were iSo very close/i to finding their Mother, If Papa didn't want to talk, they could get the info. After all, Papa was after something a bit more important.

That made Nasty halt briefly, for a brief second scared. What if iShe/i came ? Papa's most hated enemy ? The fear faded as quickly as it came and Nasty melted into the shadows and very briefly green specs of light were seen across from Mark, dancing in the shadows

Mark's eyes flitted to the green specs as he held Elsa in his arms still. He squinted but could see nothing. His jaw opened slowly as he began to form words to speak. The wind came from his lungs, rumbled in his throat, and his soothing, yet intimidating voice came out. "Who goes there?" she asked. He blinked, and it was then that Sutri's pair of arms, as well as her head came from the shadows. They draped themselves seductively over his shoulders and her lips brushed against his cheek and lips.

"Shhh..." her voice came soft, gentle, and with a twist of one hundred romantic and lust filled emotions. "Worry not who we are...for we are only here to help..." she whispered into his ear gently. The Shadows danced around them and from the ceiling of the sewer tendrils slowly hung, coiling and uncoiling gently as she spoke. The power of illusion clouded Mark's mind, but not without some difficulty. The remnants of the sleep-dart was still in his system, though Kaldakava kept him awake. Mark's own fatigue however betrayed his mental strength, and his grip over Elsa's body began to falter, his arms relaxing as he slowly leaned his head back into Sutri's chest, her hands caressing his body gently and smoothly. If she had a tail it'd be twitching like a cat's ready to pounce.

 _ **Drot...Boy...**_

Kalda's voice rumbled in Mark's mind, and Mark blinked, his eyes opening. "N-no...no one can help...Only me..." He quickly stood, still holding Elsa as he turned, his stand wide and firm.

Sutri emerged from the wall, she shadows slowly flowing down her body, revealing skin in her effort to seduce him as she walked slowly towards him as if on a catwalk; hips swaying, hands on said hips, lips gleaming in the dark. "Oh, come...surely you're not...frightened? _We can help~_ " Her whispering voice lulled Mark again, and his stance faltered once more as his eyes began to close again, but he was fighting hard.

Across the sewer from Mark as her sister was behind him, when he stood the twin green orbs danced more before another woman, identical to Sutri faded into view. "Yes" She said as the parrot all but fell from Elsa's grip onto a log with a sleepy "Whose a sleepy bird ?" and floated atop the crap. The second woman stepped across the surface of the shit and went right up to Mark, her arms out, as if offering to take Elsa, who was actually hugging Mark, and thanks to Sutri, was starting to slip from his grasp as he held her

But it was as Nasty reached to take Elsa when everything changed.

Within a heartbeat what had been the Arendelle Sewers was replaced briefly by a snowy mountainside in all directions as snow pelted down around them. The Shadow dragons looked the most out of place yet Elsa looked the most commonplace in such a location. But there was something... some _one_ with them Nasty turned slowly, taking it all in, where was the sewer system they were just in ? Who was with them ?

Mark's eyes blazed Bronze as soon as the scene briefly shifted. His grip on Elsa's body tightned agan and he stepped back from the Shadow Dragons. In his place stood Kaldakava, his robes pristine and flowing. However as he lifted his head they were quickly replaced by scaled armor, eastern in design. That then fell away and Mark's full set of iDuradaeden/i armor appeared on his body, glowing fiercely.

Mark didn't even question it; he was straining hard enough to just stay awake.

"Begone from this place, Shadow bearers..." Kalda growled as a sword materialized slowly in his hand, and he took his trademark Stance; the same as Mark's. The one that made him known as The Scorpion.

Nasty growled something, a pair of ink black steel swords formed in both hands as she took her own defensive stance to counter the stance that Kaldakava used. This was not to plan. She made to rush and strike at Kalda to get at Elsa but something halted her, something unseen stopped her in her tracks, her body not responding to her desires or needs as another voice broke in on them all. A voice she found herself dreading. "I heard you needed some aid dear boy!" A sword of brass slid into Nasty's view as it slid over her left shoulder, her green eyes stared intently before dshifting to their natuiral purple, filled with fear.

Jarius had arrived.

"Pray tell I am not too late ?" The Elder Brass dragon had a oddly serene and happy look on his face. Yes, Kaldakava was doing his job, however, this sudden world was not either of their doing. In Marks arm's Elsa shivered slightly, her eyes blazing a brilliant silver pink before she fainted in her friends arms. Jarius could feel Xeir Zith all around them. He nodded. "Soon my dear lad, soon! For now, we got a party to crash!" With that he let Nasty go from whatever magic he used to hold her before her twin tried to strike at him.

 **Arendel**

 **Wolfe District**

 **Wolfe Manor**

 **At that same moment**

Getting to the third floor Olaf started ambling in a random direction. with nothing else but to follow the aimless Snowman, Tiri said softly to Diana, "We're getting help, from... a snowman." It was odd, it felt weird in a way of a sort to the Icewraith. Somehow Olaf... felt ... did she make him ? Well sorta, Elsa did, in a way herself. But then. It was still wierd. Scary too. "You do realise how weird this is right ? I mean, I know _I'm_ not human myself, but a talking, walking snowman ? How do we know he wont lead us into trouble ?" Tiri might have been created of magic, dragon magic, like Olaf, but even then. This was weird, in this world of all places too.

As they passed a door which was broken and rotting off its hinges, Tiri noticed the colors in the room beyond and went to look closer, finding all sorts od paintings, well kept, in storage apparently. The templars, she mused, may be bad people, but they are good tennants. Rather then destroy the ancient and rather pricey paintings, they had stored them in that room. Dozens of extremely expensive paintings filled the room in neat careful stacks with paintings also leaning against the wall and each other

Tiri noticed there was enough paintings there that could make any Templar want to sell them off for the money they'd make, but she also knew the Templars wouldn't dare for some other reason, codes could be stored in the paintings, depending on where each painting went. Out of curious musings Tiri went to the paintings leaning upon the wall and gently went through them, coming to a halt she murmured softly, loud enough for Marion to hear her "It cant be." Sure there were dragfons in paintings, but, not like her. The beautiful golden and silver dragon on the massive canvas made Tiri go pale, it was so lifelike! It was so beautiful, it was possibly the only painting of someone Tiri felt she knew, somehow.

It would be then that Tiri would notice the presence behind her, sitting in an arm chair. Female in figure, a humanoid shape sat with one knee over the other, and its hands on the arms of the chair as it leaned back. "I knew you would return one day." Its voice, also very feminine, called out, not to Tiri, but to Diana-Marion. The glow that emanated from the figure began to fade leaving in its stead a beautiful woman with auburn hair and dimly glowing golden eyes. Her skin was fair and flawless, and lightly colored, and she wore long, flowing white robes that hugged her body.

She didn't move, nor did she remove her gaze from the painting of the Dragon Tiri seemed to be in awe with.

Marion entered the room and a hand went to the hilt of one of her swords, which only then caused the woman to move, only to raise a hand. "There is no need for violence, Silver Descendent." she called softly, still not turning her head nor her eyes to face the girl.

"Who are you, and what are you doing in ...this place?" She asked, knowing if Olaf heard that she was a Wofle, he'd be spilling it to Mark within minutes. Or to Sven, which would be overheard by Kristoff, who'd mention it to Anna, who'd talk to either Mark or Elsa, who' d tell Mark. And if Mark new, he'd be on a warpath. So to speak.

"That is not of importance as of...yet...In fact I was hoping to meet you sooner; or more specifically, he who is more directly descended." Now her eyes shifted with her head turning, and in a blink her eyes focused on Marion's nervous form. He? She must have meant...Marion shook her head.

"How did you find this place?"

"My dear child...I am why this place hasn't fallen into Darkness yet." she replied calmly.

Tiri heard the voice, It felt just like it always had, gentle, loving, motherly, the sense of pure safety washed over the icewraith as she gently laid the painting back against the wall and turned. Her silver eyes shining brightly, Oh how she wanted to run and dive into her mothers arms in a hug! But no, she couldnt, it was odd, but. Well it was true, this woman, this beautiful young woman, A name washed over her, Light, yet Tiri knew her only as...

"Mother ?"

Wait... What ?

The woman's eyes flickered back to Tiri. "Yes, Tiri; shattered child...how you have grown..." She smiled, a warm, welcoming smile. She turned to Marion again as she drew a sword finally.

"You didn't answer my first question."

"I am...The Light. I am the one who keeps the Darkness at bay, the mother of all Dragons, which by extension makes you my Daughter as well; though your biological mother is also your mother." she smiled and switched the knees that were crossed. "Not a lot of sense, I know, but you'll come to understand eventually; when your minds have been unlocked. When ihis/i mind has been unlocked. You know who I speak of, Marion Wolfe. I speak of _Kaldakava_ your brother." she stopped as the entire manor creaked and lurched at the utterance of that name; one of many entrances to the Wolfe Vaults beneath was unlocked.

For once in her long life, Tiri felt isafe/i Her mother was right there, within arms reach! Yes, Tiri was safe, So was Marion... Wait, Marion was her sister ? In a manner of speaking. that also made Chairty her sister too, oh man, long tangled up family tree.

She felt something however at the edges of her senses, pain, darkness, then strength and protective embrace. the mere mention of Kalda made Tiri smile. Yes, she remembered him, remembered him, and her together, well, before her rebirth at least. She remembered being with Kalda, on the slopes of a meadow at the top of a hill overlooking a vast city being built eons before. She remmerbered the two of them wandering its streets, learningthe name of the growing kingdom

 _Arendelle_

But that was ages ago, in fact it was before the fight... the fight with... no, she dare not think of that one again! It was his fault!

With a sudden shake of her head Tiri broke apart into shards of ice and flew to her mothers lap, shaking madly at a unwanted memory, The collapsing of a cave, the covering of a beautiful egg. Tiri was remembering Xier Ziths memories! And oddly, the most painful ones at that. The poor Icewraith had no idea whatsoever what happened to her child _She and Kalda were to be parents!_ And yet that darkness came, and she had to hide her egg... she never could find it after the fight.

Tiri felt in her long life, something she never felt before.

Shame.

 **Arendelle Sewers**

 **Or thereabouts**

 **At that same moment**

Mark's eyes continued to blaze bronze as he looked on in awe at what he could see: Four Dragons in human form, dueling each other in a magnificent dance to the death. And one of them...one of them had come from no where, and the other, from ihis own body!/i How it had happened he had no clue, but he wasn't questioning it at the moment.

Kaldakava turned his head. " _Drot, zhaan_! Run! We'll handle these two." he called out before moving to strike out at Nasty before she could turn towards Jarius. He was intercepted however by Sutri as she parryed with her dagger, spinning to try and stab him with her sword in the other hand. Kalda countered with his own spin, his armor deflecting it as he spun and backhanded the young Shadow Dragon with his free hand.

Mark took a few steps back, but found that he could not run; something urged him to stay put. Part of him wanted to set Elsa down and join the fight, but something else told him that if he did he'd die. He couldn't do that. Arendelle wasn't free.

Kalda growled and swung again at Sutri, who casually dodged this strike before following up with her own to counter.

Jarius sword came up as Nasty brought down both her shadowy weapons at him, catching the two blades from the much younger, and much more spry shadow dragon. the two soon began a deadly dance in the driving snowfall, Snapping out his hand as their blades once more caught he nailed Nasty dead in the face, shadows converged while a pained shriek as she was knocked backwards a pace or two, allowing the more skilled Brass to get a brief breather before snapping out the other blade he carried and blocked a strike, oddly from Sutri as Nasty didn't see Jarius but dove at Kalda.

It was for a moment, like a hilarious to watch tagteam battle. Four mortal enemies, in the snow, dancing with each other. Jarius quickly spun on his heels and slammed full force towards Nasty, his brief strike on Sutri allowed a brief respite for Kalda in the driving snowfall. Flicking his foot Jarius kicked up more snow towards where Mark was carrying Elsa, to keep the two safe, he created something akin to a brief barrier of ice and snow between Mark and the fight.

Nasty shrieked something untranslatable and slammed into Jarius dead on like an american football linebacker sacking the quarterback. Sadly it did not work for two reasons, one, Jarius was twice her size in bulk alone, and two, well, Jarius was also twice as experienced. However, he was taken by surprise as the much smaller woman tackled him off his feet into the snow and ice. They both lost their weapons briefly and were soon tussling on the snowy rocks.

Kalda growled as he heard Jarius hit the ground, and with a snarl, stepped in and grabbed Sutri, who began to pound on his face with her fists in order to make him let go. But alas it was no good as he chucked her like a snowball dead into Nasty, knocking the two of them off of Jarius. Kalda then ran forward to jump and aim a stab right for Nasty's shoulder. It would be intercepted by Sutri as she in turned slammed into the Silver Dragon. They tumbled to the ground only for Kalda's foot to find its way to Sutri's stomach, allowing him to kick her back before rolling onto his feet with a snarl.

Sutri let out a feral snarl, her shadows appearing off of her body as she began to lash out at Kalda with tendrils. He either cut them, dodged them, or was hit. But he did not waver. He eventually lashed out with his own magic. His eyes flashed silver and he dropped into a low stance, smacking the ground before lifting his hand up quickly. Sutri would freeze before suddenly being flung into the air about twenty feet; her shadows falling off of her body; leaving her bare to the snowy world. She landed with a crack and a scream.

Shadows immediately formed her clothing again and she hopped up, her arm hanging limp at an awkward angle. She let out a feral roar akin to what she'd sound like in dragon form and began to back away while Kalda returned the roar.

Nasty fell off Jarius as her sister slammed into her like a fastball. For a brief moment she was dazed and laid in the snow. But her senses came back to her when she saw Kalda coming at her before her sister intercepted the strike at her arm, but it did not stop Jarious from coming at her. A flick of her wrist and she flung ice in his face and scrambleld for her fallen swords before blocking first one, then the other strike with one weapon. using her shadow magic she flung a ball of ink black fire at the Brass before diving for her second wepaon. As she picked it up however she started when she heard her sister sscream and felt a brief pain in her shoulder.

Ah shadowspit!

Sutri was down, Nasty was still on her feet. She threw another shadowfire ball at Jarius and ran madly at Kalda, fast as she could, which in the blinding ankle deep snow, wasnt fast as she had like. Nevertheless she still slammed into Kalda like a freight train, as she did so they slammed into the glass barrier Jarius had created, but when she did she had transformed into her natural form. The minivan sized black dragon drenched in shadows slammed into Kalda full force and roared directly in his face.

That was her sister he was roaring at!

Kalda crossed his arms out in front of him as Nasty slammed into him, and was able to absorb most of the impact before slamming into the barrier. He landed on his feet and looked up at the roaring young Dragon. He bit his bottom lip, and shifted to his own Draconain form, a beautiful Silver Dragon bristling with spines and scars; evidence from his battle that ended in his death long ago. He roared back at Nasty, and while he did, used one of his breath-weapons, the cone of Paralyzing Cold.

From his mouth, the snow hardened to pure ice immediately, locking Nasty's feet into the ice and dropping her body-temperature dangerously fast before shifted back into his human form and stumbled, shaking his head as he panted. He'd used too much energy for not having complete control over his...Mark's body. And the fact that he was beginning to blink in and out of existance slowly meant he didn't have a lot left in him.

It was time to finish this.

Sutri eventually pulled herself together and leaned agaisnt her sister's side for a second. "We need to leave...It's two on one with me out of commission; I will not further humiliated by these ...old fools. Father will never let us live it down." She growled.

With their brief respite seemingly granted from nowhere, The minivan sized shadow dragon got into a guarding stance as her feet froze in the ice, but it was short lived as she saw their enemy sudden return to his human size. Well... that was... odd ? What the hell ? With her sister now out of commision, it now left, as Sutri had dsaid, two on one. But seeing how the Silver was acting...

Nasty took her chance. Her shadows snapped the ice holding her feet and her tail swung hard and fast, she slamming her tail first into the barrier, then into Kalda. Her aim was simple, get him off his feet, the silver was weak, Nasty could see it, But what she didn't see she felt from her sister. Jarius was not a dirty fighter, he had rules of his own when it came to fighting other dragons or foes. Among them was to not strike a defenseless enemy. And oddly, it included Sutri.

So why was he waiting for Nasty to turn her attention on him directly ?

Kalda let out another massive roar and icaught/i Nasty's tail as it slammed into him. A few drops of blood streamed down his chin from his mouth as he coughed up the red liquid, but otherwise, he tightened his grip on the youngster's tail, and though the barrier was cracked, it wasn't broken, yet. Kalda's eyes blazed silver as he manipulated the gravity around Nasty, and then threw her as hard as he could into the barrier, smashing her practically face-first through it before letting go, and letting her fly down the sewer and into the foul-smelling liquid.

He drew his sword once more, and lowered it at Sutri. "Leave. Now.." He snarled.

With a startled and then gargling, roar Nasty went flying unexpectedly with a very hilarious splashing were there any to watch it, deeper into the sewers. With it was followed by a brief "OW!" Then some draconical swearing that even could make the most well sworn sailors blush.

Jarius stood by, watching everything, even inspoecting the now destroyed barrier he'd briefly made. Nasty's sheer weight alone had broken the barrier completely. At least the barrier did its job, it protected Mark, and Elsa.

But wait, if they were in a area created by Xeir Zith, in this case Elsa, it might explain why she was so limp at that moment.

Jarius merely observed, One dragon was dealt with, the other still had to leave. But then, was that other one dealt with completely ?

Nope

Shadows exploded around Kalda's feet and snaked their way towards their true targets beyond him, as Nasty sprang back into view, she reeked of raw crap, and she was not going down without a fight, Kalda was weak, and she could see it clearly. Yet Jarius stood back. Children were impish creatures, and sometimes it took their own experiences to learn when enough was enough. And apparently Nasty's rage at her sister injured was fueling her, her face was a mess of icy cuts, which later could heal, she reeked, and looked as if she went through a meat grinder, but she was intent on her target

Kalda vanished completely as the shadows exploded at his feet, retreated back into Mark's body, gone for now physically but still conscious within Mark's mind. Mark opened his eyes again and set Elsa down gently, but quickly. He drew his sword and turned towards the Shadows . They'd kill him, and worse, Elsa, if they hit, regardless of his armor being there. It'd be fine, sure, but he wouldn't. His eyes blazed bronze and all he could think of was "STOP' as he held up his left arm, palm extended with clawed fingers curled. He glared at the shadow, and just as it was about to hit, he closed his eyes.

And waited...

He was still alive... He opened his eyes, and noticed that the Shadows had stopped. He blinked a few times and moved his arm, the shadows moved with him. He got an idea then. He began to move his arm in circles, making the shadow corkscrew within itself before he pushed forward. There was physical resistance. He pushed hard, and the shadow rocketed back, straight past Sutri by a few inches, and past Nasty's head, pulling some of her hairs off of her head.

Mark panted; that had taken a lot out of him. He gritted his teeth, and assumed his...Kalda's signiture stance.

Nasty span on her feet as her own shadows wer repelled, forming her twin swords in her hands she span, her arms swinging with all her magic behind them at Mark, seeing only the creature that hurt her sister in that stance. But even with her power slamming into the lone human man their swords locked solid. Light and dark magics screaming at each other in a upending ice, snow and rock. Pure rage filled Nasty, yet she was indeed starting to tire, but her anger fueled her tired limbs with renewed energy.

At the energy explosion Jarius simply raised an eyebrow, he'd seen it many times with other dragons, and other foes besides dragons at that, but what was most amusing to observe was the raw anger being burnt off by a young woman. In a seemingly bored mood Jarius went and instead of attacking Sutri, he sat down next to her on the ice and watched the other two fight it out, It was odd in a sense, a ancient Brass with a young enemy dragon.

And not attacking her at that

Most unnerving!

"If you're going to kill me do it...I'd rather die than have you sit anywhere near me..." Sutri snarled, though she was in no position to threaten anyone at the moment, what with her useless arm that will take some time to heal. She attempted to scoot away, but the pain in her arm kept her put. _'Fuckin' hell...my father best not be watching...'_

Jarius had a set of rules by which he lived, worked, and fought. As did Mark, but only when it came to Living and working. When it came to fighting, Mark had one rule: Remember the objective. If his objective was to capture the target alive, he'd do so. Otherwise, kill it. So Mark moved to do just that. As Nasty charged him he intercepted her strikes with his iDuradaeden/i clad left arm, tucking them under his arm and coiling it around before grabbing the blades tight; she wasn't going anywhere he didn't want her to.

He did have one more rule: KIll with an amount of brutality equal to the threat they posed to Elsa. As he saw it, Nasty was one hell of a threat; bigger than any he'd encountered. So there was no rules. He lifted his back leg and using her swords as leverage and balance, slammed his foot directly into her chest.

"Now why on Earth would I kill you when You cannot so much as dress yourself at this moment ?" Jarius simply asked, it was hard to take when another dragon wanted to be slain rather then spoken with, but, no, Jarius was not that kind of dragon to simply slay someone and that'd be it. Instead Jarius liked to talk. and talk he'd do as they watched the fight before them. "It is quite amazing to learn such news you see. Your father so secretive never told me he had children of his own." Now how did he know Draco was her father ? What had given it away ?

As Mark kicked her in the chest her swords shattered in his arms, the shadow swords broke apart and reformed as she flipped backwards and with all her weight came straight back on him in a frenzy of strikes. Some were blocked, a few made their marks on his arms, but did no harm whatsoever thanks to the armor the man wore, but the last strike hit home with a very reasuring **THUD** as Nasty used her fist and bare knuckles dead at Marks nose.

It was either one of two things that THUD, her hand breaking, or Marks nose breaking and Mark getting a hell of a headache. {or both} One of those things at least.

 _drip..._

Mark's nose was broken. His arm was too slow in deflecting her punch, and he wheeled back in pain, dropping his sword as he grabbed at his nose. "Son of a-Fuck!" He screamed. With a twitch he put his nose back in place and charged Nasty. He resorted to a wild flurry of punches and swipes with his claws, most of them all missed or were blocked, which in and of itself hurt like hell. However Eventually Mark stepped in and hooked Nasty's right leg with his own left, and while he dodged another punch from her, he grabbed her extended arm and pulled her into it, his fist landing on one of the ribs he'd cracked with his kick, breaking it, he then reached out with his other hand while his other hand smacked her arm up. His free hand was open, and his claws raked across Nasty's skin through whatever she was wearing.

Mark's only issue was that he was so rage blinded, he forgot to aim for her face or neck, and raked her straight across the chest. He pulled both arms back then and slammed two more hits into her torso, one at the solar plexus focused with his knuckles, and the other in the gap between the shoulder and chest, right between the muscles. In addition to just hitting, his muscles twitched, and his knuckles dragged across the nerves themselves, upsetting them to no end causing unbearable nausia, dizzyness, and an instant loss of breath. Beyond that, he just kept pushing with his punches, and likely sent Nasty flying a good ten feet back.

Sutri ignored his question, but as he mentioned her father she got up, and stumbled away. How'd he know? What the hell? She turned and ran without another word; so delirious of this fact that she didn't even see the smack down Mark gave her sister; and likley was pushed out of the barrier along with her sister as she stumbled backwards away from Mark from the punches.

 **CRACK**

Something gave way with a gut wrenching crack. But in her anger fueled rage Nasty didn't notice until she was flung backwards, her swords by then had faded away and she traded blows a bit until Mark hit her nerves directly. With a terrified shriek right in Marks face, loud enough to break glass at that, she flung out with both hands all the power she could muster, which wasnt much at that point, but oddly somehow, she flung Mark back, or had he run back to his presious friend ?

It didn't matter, she had a respite, but it didn't last as that crack filled her ears. Did he just ?

She went flying backwards, again, this time directly into her sister with a pained crashing noise she spat up blood onto the snow, which by then had reformed into the sewers steel and stone, their snowy mountainside faded away, leaving the fivedom in the sewers. Her body still stank, and now... Nasty growled and pulled herself to her feet. With her last ounce of energy she struck her unijured hand against the side of the sewer tunnel, her shadowmagic went right to work, collapsing it as she turned to help her sister.

At least they managed to walk away from this fight. But they'd need Jr and Taris, maybe if they could get Brutus away from his bar long enough, before they could take on the thrice damned Silver again.

And thankfully, their father was never going to find out just what happened to them.

After all, there was more then two Silvers their father hated. And he respected the Brass too.

Though it was odd, as Sutri stumbled away from him Jarius simply asked "Was it something I said ?" But when he received no answer he made a mental note to speak to Draco concerning their family tree., Maybe ask him how the wife was too.

Mark panted as he stood there in his stance for a bit waiting for the two Dragons to disappear. He blinked when Sutri left finally after glaring dumbstruck at both him and Jarius, and after he did, he turned and shoved his face into the snow to slow down the bleeding in his nose while also screaming out a string of curses so colorful it made the one the young Dragon had sprouted earlier seem like childsplay. After a while he pulled his face out and shivered before moving back over to Elsa, gently nudging her cheek with his knuckle.

"Elsa? You alright? My Queen?!" he gave her a shake. He looked to Jarius and stood. "Thank you, Jarius...but...how'd you know we were here?" he asked.

Using his own magic Jarius stepped across as the tunnel ceiling caved in between them and the seemingly only path out. "That is the most interesting thing isn't it young fellow" Jarius mused thoughtfully. "I didn't. I was merely curious of why the fighting upstairs in the street and naturally wondered where you had gone off to. I felt her troubles. And sought to help. She invited my aid. I am glad to see it came through" He nodded towards Elsa, who was thankfully still asleep, yet now soaking wet with ... well. Jarius didn't want to even try to think of what Elsa was now soaked in, Mark too was up to his knees in the crap. "Shall I get a towel ?"

Mark blinked as suddenly the barrier world fell away, and despite his efforts to catch Elsa she wound up soaked in it anyway. "Y-yes...Make that two or three, one for her hair, another for her body, one for me. Screw it, the other two for her until I can get her to the palace to get her bathed." he said. He could throw her into the fjord, but she might not wake up again. Sighing he picked her up and rather unceremoniously tossed her over his shoulder as his armor slowly vanished. "For now, let's get out of these damned sewers; I can't smell anymore but if I could I'd be puking." Mark said.

"I agree, come with me" With that out of nowhere Jarius produced a little bit of candle light from his own magic off his fingers and it floated overhead, he then lead the way through the sewers to another entry as the patrh they had used originally had collapsed in on itself. As they walked he spoke "I think getting her cleaned up will do first and formost. And I know just the place! Dont worry I can inform my gentleman to be a gentleman, come come, this way!" Jarius lead them into daylight. It was... oddly still morning. Maybe a bit before elvenses actually.

Keeping to the alleys Jarius lead Mark to his home. He held up a hand as if to keep Mark quiet, but it was actually to keep hidden as a truly massive Templar patrol went past. at least thirty two men went by andwere scrunking their noses as they passed the alley, infact the sheer stink on Elsa and Mark together made them move faster to get away from it. it was then a nice clear shot to the home of Jarius, a modest two level home at that. Not too large not too small, perfect for a Brass Dragon that loved history so much! After all his basement was jam packed with information and history books. Hell, he even had somewhere down there the exact date and time of Arendelle's inital founding!

"Up those stairs the bath should be drawn by now judging by the speed of carrier birds. Yes I hear water running, dont bother to worry of getting her undressed just drop her in and make sher her face is above water I'll get the towels and meet you in the guest bedroom. I think some of Taz's things may fit you for time being to change into" Jarius said. Taz was his only suriving offspring from his first and only mate from eons before.

Jarius pointed up the stairs "Up those stairs, around the corner, second door on the left, first door on the right, make her her face is above water. May can handle the rest." May was the housekeeper for Jarius, a dark haired older woman with a nose for detail.

Mark nodded to Jarius' instructions, and carefully put Elsa back into a bridal-style carry. Luckily no one saw them as they headed to Jarius' house, which made his job easier in the long run. Anyway, up the stairs, 'round the corner...second door on the left. He found the bathroom and nodded to May. He turned and set Elsa in the tub gently, making sure her head was above and resting on the edge of the tub so she didn't fall into it.

"I assume I don't have to tell you if I sense anything wrong..." He said to May calmly before turning to meet Jarius in the guest bedroom, knocking and entering. "Might want to wash my face when she's done...get the blood off. But I'll worry about that later. I need cleen pants and to let my boots out to dry and get rid of the smell." He began grumbling as he sat on a chair and took off his boots after opening a window.

 **Arendelle**

 **Scala District**

 **Meanwhile back above ground at the sewer entry**

The last Templar was driven off, and the CIA by then had packed up and took off with whatever was left of their van by the time the fight was done with the templars, seeing Snowfeather trash ten men on her own made the CIA rethink their plans carefully. Finally it was over. And that was when a sudden rumble went off. The hell ? Struggling to keep her feet, Snowfeather feared the worst and scrambled to where the rumble came, dust cloud poured from the sewer entryway. So focused was she on the sewers and the dust she never heard her twin sister show up with a few other Assassins.

"The hell just happened here ?" Blackmane asked calmly, as if she had seen it before. which she had on many occasions thanks to the Twins belonging to her sister, Serena and Serenity were destructive against the Templars, many times to the point of completely demolishing buildings quite large

"Mark, who else ?" Snowfeather replied

"How do you know ?" Blackmane asked

"Who else would make this much of a mess over one person '?" Snowfeather answered

"... point taken" Blackmane said, remembering clearly the events back in Alexandria and Cairo when Snowfeather found out about Marks first time love so long ago.

A group of about ten recruits quickly made their way over to Blackmane, careful not to knock her into the hole Mark and co. had created. "W-whoa!" one called out. "What the hell? Mark did this?"

Of course they knew who he was. He idid/i kiss the queen after all.

"Smells great."

"Oh shove it"

"Um... Mentors... what are we to do?" One of the more responsible of the recruits walked up to Snowfeather and Blackmane while the others discussed how in the hell Mark was able to make such a mess.

"Have four check the houses near here for stablity issues, if there are any, have the homes in question cleared of inhabatants and belongings" Blackmane said as Snowfeather dropped to a knee and inspected a broken stonework pattern. "Otherwise have two check for templar patrols in the area. the rest to mark off this hole."

Snowfeather inspected the rocks, the strange pattern left mostly intact construction of the paved roadtop. But there was magic she did not understand or like much if at all at work toi cause such destruction. She tossed back the stone. "Mark it off, ready it for reconstruction. Soon as the homes are checked spread into pairs and search for Mark and Elsa, they were here last I saw them. Go!" Snowfeather said, giving the same orders, mostly, that her sister had given.

They had no idea how safe Mark and Elsa were at that moment.

The recruits all nodded and split amongst themselves, a comedic bumping and grunting ensuing for a good few seconds before they all found their marks. Some families indeed had to be evacuated, the area was soon marked off, and Templar patrols were taken care of if they were found. Needless to say, this area would be templar free for as long as it needed to be for the rebuilding to occur.

When the thought of how safe Mark and Elsa came to Snowfeather's mind, it seemed to call as if on cue to Ulnaus, who landed on a crooked street-lamp and chirped a few times, tilting his head as he preened his feathers before looking to Snowfeather. If Ulnaus was here, then Mark was at least conscious and awake. He let out a small screech and flapped his wings a few times. He hopped down into the rubble, and began to dig through it, clicking his beak a few times as he moved rocks out of the way.

"Who's a sleepy bird?"

Ulnaus turned his head and clicked a few times, awkwardly walking closer to the source of the sound.

"GONERS!" WHAM! something screamed one word that nobody could ever wish to understand and then bonked into Ulanus massive forehead with a rather comicaly spreadegle likeness on the massive eagles face before hitting the ground as a seagull alighted again saying simply "mine!" Of course poor Ulnaus did not understand either of them very well if at all and just looked between the Gooney Bird and gull as if they were drunk, which the Gooney was but the seagull was a given.

"Sleepy Bird! Sleepy bird does not want cracker... "The last rock was moved and the MaCaw, Henry, was laid on his back, his wings spread wide, and he was sleeptalking. when Ulnaus nudged the parrot Henry said softly "Five more minutes Ma, why not blanket Ma ? Sleepy bird needs his blanket!"

Doubtless the screeching of Ulnaus normally woke up stuff, but somehow the parrot was not waking up anytime soon.

Oh dear. Snowfeather stepped up to the out cold MaCaw she turned to Ulnaus "Find Mark, circle the location so we can find you. I need to find a friend... I hope." She handed Henry to one of the recruits with orders to care for the bird carefully before heading off towards a certain part of town.

 **Wolfe Manor, at that same moment**

The friend she sought lay within the Wolfe Mansion. Sitting cross-legged with a bird on one corner of the chair she sat on, and a cat on her lap. She knew Snowfeather was coming; she always seemed to know something. She didn't look up from the cat in her lap as the feline humanoid entered the room. " _Tastatie alttahadduth 'amam al'umm_ " she said in Arabic. "You may speak before The Mother." she called out, petting the cat's ears that sat on her lap, smiling softly.

Snowfeather stepped into view of the other woman, cats were a way of life in many respects. "Hello Al." She said. "I need your aid. It concerns my son, and our Queen, their safety actually. And where they are." She then detailed the magic she had found. She had no idea that Marks sister was in the bedroom upstairs waiting with Tiri for Light to return to answer a rather important question of just how the hell a beautiful woman with dark hair could be the mother of a woman with silver hair and muchless turn into nothing but ice shards. "How shall we proceed on repairs to the Scala District sewers ? Or should we simply fill it in and reroute it ?"

The Light was quiet for a moment before she finally looked up to Snowfeather. "They are in good hands, rest assured. The one whom owns the hearty blacksmith shop that never closed down has them in his care; I believe you know of whom I speak of?" She asked calmly. She spoke of Jarius, of course. "As for the sewers, do what you think is best for the People of Arendelle." She said calmly. She scratched behind the cat's ears that sat in her lap. She then gently lifted it and gave it a small kiss on the forehead before setting it down and petting it twice more. She stood.

"I must go; honored guests are awaiting me." And with that, she was gone. A small flash of light, and she was gone.

They were safe, that was good, that was what she was hoping for a long time, for her son, and her queen both safe and sound. But she had no earthly idea who Al meant whatsoever. The fact remained that Mark and Elsa were safe. She nodded, the dark magic was spent and could fade away with time, but getting the area rebuilt would still take some time. But Snowfeather thought it possible to rebuild and maybe simply make it into a park or something. But it connected directly to the sewers. Which stank.

Snowfeather was about to ask more, but said softly as Light left her "Honored guests ?" Again she had no idea who Light meant as she snuck from the Manor grounds as swiftly as she snuck onto them.

 **In the Wolfe Manor**

 **Third Floor**

 **Marions Old Bedroom**

In many areas the room had fallen into disrepair, since Marion was quite young at the time, the paint and wallpaper were splitered and peeling, in many cases the floor itself was rotted through to the lower floor. The bed was broken and trashed in a corner. part of one wall was gutted to get to the eletrical and studs that were rotted. It seemed that even in the ancient past this home had technology born of ages past. The two women stepped lightly and carefully within the room to remain on the floor and not damage anything. They had to bust the door apart, thankfully they could still close it. Tiri stepped over to the wall near the fireplace, every major bedroom had one. She could see how Marion seemed to be walking in a memory of a sort. "What is it ? Do you see something ?" Tiri had no idea of the room they had entered. They were trying to find Olaf who'd snuck off. Possibly chasing a butterfly again.

"This...this is my bedroom." Marion said softly. Her hand hovered over the mantle of the fireplace as she looked at it. There was an old music box on it, but it was long dead. The bed lacked any bedding; just an old, smelly mattress.

"Your brother is safe...for now." The Light appeared in front of the door. "So is..." she bit her tongue for a second, "So is Elsa." she continued. She watched as Marion looked around, and tilted her head.

Marion's eyebrows furrowed and she flipped her matress; it had been lopsided the whole time. Something was underneath it. Upon flipping it she assumed a fighting stance, hidden blade out and hand on one sword. "Paintings?" she relaxed and reached forward to bring them out from their hiding place. They too were in remarkably good shape.

"Paintings ?" Tiri asked confused, she briefly shattered as the mattress was flipped nearly ontop of her and she reformed next to Marion. There were about two dozen paintings of various sizes, all of them very old. But one in particular caught Tiris eyes directly, even though old as all hell, the painting looked... oddly new. Tiri stared. It was... well, it looked almiost exactly like Elsa, only in a gown not of ice, but of silver and beautiful silver dragon scales upon her shoulders and about her neck. Tiri remembered hqaving tp pose for so long for the painter. It had to be hundreds of thousands of years old!

Which it was, it was painted just before Kalda had died! The two people in the painting, a man and woman, had just announced their betrothal, hence the design of the clothing the two wore. Wedding ready garb. Tiri smiled seeing the painting of herself, of who she once was. "I remember this. I remember being nervous, not liking the dress. But for it to be in such good condition after so many generations... Why keep it hidden under a bed ?"

 **Arendelle**

 **Scala District**

 **Home of Jarius**

 **A few moments later**

She felt... wet. soaking wet, yet clean ? Laid in the tub, which frothed with warm water and other required items felt like she was in the castle bath. Her eyes opened, and she found herself staring at a ceiling that was not her own. Where was she ? This was not the castle! But the water felt good, it smelled good too, and her hair she felt had something that shouldnt be in it. So she relaxed and when the maid arrived, she knew she was cared for.

In another room Mark had been given clean clothing, a new dry hood as well while his normal one was being cleaned. A young man was with Jarius and Mark in the room, He had returned home rather unexpectedly. "Ah, Father, I am glad to see you home for once, May said you had gone out, So I went to find some more faberics and histories to note down. Ahh hello Master Wolfe, It is good to see the District getting light again!" Taz was a upbeat young man of about thirty, with pale green eyes, and a well worn face showing decades if not centries of experience, yet there was something else about the guy, how did he know Mark was now the Master of the Wolfe Manor ?

Mark turned to Taz as he said his name. His eyes narrowed. How did he... "Yes. Always a relief to have light; especially in dark times." He answered softly. He felt...out of place in these clothes. They weren't his to begin with, and he felt...off, wearing them. Better than being naked though, he supposed. He found a mirror, and looked at his nose; the thing was massively bruised; broken alright. However it didn't look broken. It seemed the twitch had put it back in place almost if not perfectly. It'd heal soon enough, though he'd have trouble breathing thorugh his nose too heavilly for a bit. It'd hurt as well when expressing emotion, or ...well, doing most anything with his face.

"Jarius...you wouldn't have something cold to slap on my face to ease the pain in my nose would you?" he asked. Then he turned his head to Taz.

"How do you know of my position within Wolfe Manor?" he asked calmly.

"Well for one thing its the gauntlet you have on your arm there. And the fact that all the workers refered me to you directly" Tas replied, he explained then he was into the histsories of the Manor, and those involved with it, and its construction, history, Taz said, was his hobby. Otherwise he was the Guild Overseer for the informants and homeless in the districts. His guild, imformally called Caregivers, simply looked after those displaced by the Templars, known as the Darkness. "Besides, All the workers in the District refered to you as Master Wolfe." Taz said nothing of what Mark and Elsa did with their dance.

Jarius nodded, he felt Elsa waken, at least briefly in the tub across the hall. "Yes, a moment and I shall have one of my butlers, whoever is in at the moment, get the healing salvs." He said, he stood from the seat, Mark looked good in the clothing, oddly it fit him perfectly. Taz, for being only a few hundred years younger then Xeir Zith herself, apparently had the same size as Mark all his life. As Jarius left the room he poked his head back in broefly "Dont worry, I'll send a man to the Castle to inform of your safety." He said nothing of the fight they were in just moments before.

Thankfully the bathroom window was wide open, but being on the second floor it merely looked out on the courtyard below, thankfully so, Since the wimndow was open and only the maid, May, was in there, the sudden arrival of a minivan sized bird on the oppisite side of the House belonging to Jarius startled briefly the maid, before the woman realised who the bird was after. "Madam, I shall leave the window open for your... feathered... friend to see you are unharmed. Please remain in the tub a bit more, the stench still lingers in your hair." Elsa nodded her thanks, and smiled when she saw Ulanus across the way through the window

Now she felt safe.

But where were they ?

Mark nodded to Taz, sufficiently satisfied with his answer. He then nodded to Jarius. As one of the butlers came in with the healing salvs Mark took a glance at them and quickly went to work administering amounts of medicine not normally reccommended for a man of his size or weight, but doing so anyway, waving away the concerned butler. After he was done Mark shook his head and he blinked a few times.

His eyes flashed bronze and he looked to the bathroom door.

"Bird! You'd best not be bringing something dead into this house!" He yelled loud enough for half the city block to hear. He was met by a squawk from Ulnaus in protest. "Don't you sass me!"

 _SQUAK PRETTY BIRD!_ Rang out from nowhere as Jarius returned, with Petunia on his arm, he was feeding her as he entered the room. "It seems we have some feathered guests paying us a visit. May said she had the window open, it seems our larger feathered friend wishes to keep a careful eye on our Queen" He said as Petunia squaked again and preened and when she saw Mark she flapped her white wings repating "Pretty bird, happy bird! Pretty woman happy bird!"

Oddly she seemed to know better then to swear in front of Jarius, or at least call Mark a funny name, such as crazy human. But then again, Petunia was more focused on her happy state as Ulnaus never ate her "It seems" Taz said thoughtfully, "that our guests, dear father, are rather... improtant."

"You bet your history crystals they're important my boy!" Jarius said. Should things go as hoped, then all would be well. Jarius noticed that Mark seemed to look a lot better, "How are you feeling ? The girl got you good, here" He held out a hand, a silver rock, a crystal of some sort, was in it, "Hold this to your nose for a few moments, it might sting a little as it heals the bones, but your nose will be back to its old self in no time!"

Another small squawk came from Ulnaus and Mark was about to yell at him again when Jarius cut off his attention, and he looked at the crystal. He took it in his hands; his hands cracking a few times as they were healed as well. "Ow..." His eye twitched. He put it to his nose, wincing as a sickening crack healed his nose, his nostrils flaring as he took a clear breath. It also made him a tiny bit loopy, and he blinked a few times.

"What is this wonderful thing, may I have it?" He placed it then to his wrists, each of them cracking; as well as his elbows, shoulders, knees, hips... Mark was a mess it seemed. Only his nose was broken, but the sheer amount of Microfractures and bruises and cracks in his bones meant he could probably fall apart at any minute...well, not so much anymore. He let out a loopy chuckle, hearty and amused, as if Jarius had told him the best joke of the week.

"No seriously can I keep this?" His face went serious for a few seconds before the corner of his mouth pulled into a smirk.

"Not quite yet" Jarius said as Taz stifled a laugh, it took about ten minutes for the crystal to completely heal Mark, all those hits and other crap thrown at him a feather could have killed him outright. "This crystal, well, this one at least... " Jarius smiled "Was given to me as a gift from a dear friend. I do believe you know her ?" He meant his own mother, Light., in the disntant past Light had given heach Dragon race a certain gift, some got healing cystals, others got healing gifts directly without the crystals, like the whites and greens, but the brass and silvers were mostly given crywstals,.

Taz spoke up "Perhaps when... well, if it happens." Taz was referring to a note left in one of the scrolls he'd read.

But it was a moment later when everyones attention was drawn to the door as Ulanus was pretty much thrown through as a soft voice asked. "Keep what ?" Elsa stood in the door, a towel drying her hair, she was nice and cleam, and her dress was just slightly darker red and not because of being damp still. She saw Jarius and Taz, but at first did not recognise them. But somehow she knew she was safe. "I take it you own this home ?" Jarius nodded "Thank you. Your maid was kind enough to leave me a towel. What happened ?"

Mark slapped at Ulnaus as the fool of a bird nearly slammed into him. "This isn't the palace you fool! You can't just..." he continued to lecture the bird, trying to make him go back out side. "Don't you have a job to do? Like circling ominously or some random ..." he held his tongue, Elsa was awake...she didn't particularly care for swearing. After Ulnaus went to do his job, Mark came back and sat again on a chair, letting out a sigh of disappointment at how incredibly dull his bird was.

When Jarius made allusion to the Light, Mark's eyes narrowed, and after a second, nodded. If his hunch was right; the Wolfe Clan should have many healing crystals in one of their vaults around the Kingdom; and in yet another vault, a place to recharge the healing energies.

Mark had yet to find all the other vaults, or at least a map of them. There were still many rooms he'd yet to refurbish, or even open in the Wolfe manor; they might be in there. Shaking his head he stood and looked to Elsa.

"Glad to see you're awake, and in much better shape than I was about...twenty minutes ago." He sighed. "As for what happened, I'll give you the short version: CIA showed up, tranqed you, me, and the bird, I woke up, had some fun, Snowfeather and co. showed up, had some fun, I carried you to the sewers to escape...then it's a blur. some snow, shadows, screaming, my getting my nose broken...you falling into the ...well, shit, and then Jarius took us here..." he shrugged. That was about it. Dumbed down to the extreme though.

Elsa listened as Mark gave her a brief run down on what happened since they were knocked out, but when he spoke of his nose getting broken "Your nose was broken ?" She nodded at the mention of falling in the crap, she felt crap in her hair when she woke up in the tub and saw Ulnaus outside, the maid was able to help her clean herself off well. But when he mentioned the home they were now in and the fact that there were two men there Elsa did not yet fully know, "Jarius, as in, the Landscape Painter ?"

"The one and the same" Jarius said with a slight bow in greeting, he motioned to Taz "Allow me to introduce my son, Taz. Taz, Queen Elsa, you already know Mark." Taz actually also knew Mark, and Kalda, but from so long ago. Taz never could find out who wrote that note in his scroll. Taz nodded to Elsa in greeting when he was spoken to and Elsa looked his way.

She finished cleaning out her ears of water making sure she heard everything. "Thank you Jarius, for letting us stay here briefly, but we... Mark are those your clothing ?" Oh crap, Elsa was pretty much the car that had the deer, in this case, Mark, in its headlights dead on... she just had to mention the clothing not being his. was it because it stank ?

Mark blinked as Elsa brought up the clothing. He smiled. "For the time being, it is...Just til my boots are dry and my other clothes cleaned." he said calmly. "Which shouldn't be that much longer?" he turned his head to Jarius.

He cleared his throat. "Anyway; I suggest we stay here; Snowfeather will undoubtedly come looking for us pretty soon with Ulnaus circling above. Not a good thing to not be where she expects you to be outside of stealth training." He said, recalling the numerous times he was scolded for not being where she told him to stay put so she could come back to him.

"Not much longer" Jarius said with a nod, he briefly left the room however as there was a nock at the door and the butler called for him. which left Elsa, Taz and Mark in the upper spare bedroom.

"What time is it ?" Elsa asked out of the blue, it was a little after noon last she recalled before getting knocked out. Was it still that time ? It didnt really matter, but if they could stay a bit, perhaps even until dinner, Jarius was a good man, Elsa remembered him from her childhood when he came to make landscape paintings and she and Anna would watch over his shoulder.

Speak of the devil, Elsa thought as Jarius returned, though he had a young lady on his arm. A young lady that Elsa recognised. "Georgina ? What are you doing here ?"

"I thought I'd find you two here" Georgina replied. Jarius was nice enough to guide her through his home. "Your sisters are going crazy trying to find you, but I told Anna to let me try and find you first, if I cant find you before dinner, send out the soldiers, so I started looking in the last place you guys were, and then followed my nose. And man I need to clear it." the raven haried chinese woman had followed their trail the old fashioned way, and was regretting it greatly.

For the moment though Mark still had the crystal, well, had was the keyword there, as he'd somehow lost it as Taz held it out to his father, who in turn handed it to Georgina who just all but stuffed it up her nose trying to get the sewer smell out. A moment passed and Georgina went to go tell Anna that Elsa was safe, Mark too, as his sisters were worried.

At least they were safe. That was what counted

 **Memory Sync Verified, Seqeunce 6 complete**


	27. Sequence 7 Memory 1

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 7**_

 _ **Memory 1: Queen Elsa vs The Wolf Queen part 1**_

 **12 Febuary 2052**

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **North Wing**

 **Elsa's bedroom**

 **Dawn**

 _"Never be too kind to a Templar or Shadow, they might turn on you"_

 **Jarius when explaining how the money caused the Templar Order to fall from glory during the second crusade**

The night before was something they'd rather forget, the festival was a weird one. And Elsa for once got to meet her favorite painter once more. But last night was surely eventful as Mark had just found outsomething he'd rather not speak about to anyone. Not that it really mattered he had in fact confided in Elsa, and also his sisters. The place they spoke over the events they found out about while they were in the reeking sewers was only cause for further investigations to be had.

As to what Mark found out, someone had entered the Manor against his wishes, and damaged part of it. A room had its wall blown apart, but how ? What had happened for the wall to explode in such fashion, surely they had seen it ? But no, they did not know of the explosion or who caused it, for a few weeks since the festival. But it was last night when they found out that someone had been there, and someone had gotten into his sisters old bedroom!

They had found the door blown apart, as if by a cannonade from a ship. the wall beyond it was also shattered and broken. But what had caused it ? Who caused it ? The workers in the house at the time of the explosion said they only saw and heard Olaf in the place. And there was no way to really keep him out of any place when one thought of it. It was the first time Elsa had been inside the Manor since the Templars had it. It felt oddly familar.

Olaf was much too weak to hold up anything heavier than a few pounds, let alone something strong enough to make this kind of damage. "Contractor!" He called, his voice booming. His head builder trotted down the hall obediently. "I want an investiation done on how this happened. Once you know, find out who did it descreetly. When you find out who did it, wring their neck, or better yet, tell me and I'll do it myself. After you're done investigating, fix it up...New wood of the same species...My sister's room doesn't deserve rotting wood to frame it." He said. The contractor trotted away to make the necessary notes.

A couple of Assassin Recruits that Mark had taken under his wing specifically came down the hall soon after. "Mentor?" Mark's lip visibly twitched; that wasn't his title... yet "I-I mean... Master Wolfe...what is it?"

"Investigate... find out what happened, and who did it. You have three days."

"It'll be done."

Mark turned and grumbled to himself. His eyes flashed bronze and he used his Eagle Vision to scan the area quickly. Something caught his eye and he turned back to the room; something most people wouldn't be able to see with their Eagle Vision. Magic? When could he see magic? How did he know what it was? He tilted his head and walked towards it, brushing against one of his apprentances as he did so, heading right for the opposite wall, where it looked as though the cannon ball pierced through. He placed a hand to the edge of the wall where it was charred and splintered. Muttering to himself he turned his head and channeled more focus into his vision; and slowly the scene began to reconstruct itself...

 **22 December 2051**

 **Midafternoon**

 **Arendelle, Wolfe Manor**

 **Third Floor, Marions bedroom**

Tiri held the painting in her hands, her and Kalda, or actually Xeir Zith and Kalda. She tapped at the name in the low left corner, "A dragon painted this long ago. Before **she** found _him_ " She said softly. the Wolf Queen had taken Kalda from Xeir Zith, just like how Draco had taken their child they'd never see. Or did he ? Recently Tiri had been having trouble sleeping. She shook herself back to reality. "Why would the Templars hide paintings of such value in your old bedroom ?" Even though it was bright sunlight outside, the room, even with its windows wide open, felt dark and dreary.

Tiri looked around the room, the remaining paneling in the rotting walls was a dark oak, it reminded her of the place she had owned in London. Of course it lacked everything London had. No technology had touched Arendelle, so remote was this kingdom it was as if Time itself just... stopped. Where London was a massive city ever growing into the skies above and the countryside like a bruise growing underskin. Technoilogy was rampant in London. It was as if the towers just grew into each other there. Which they actually did. Cars even flew in those upper most levels. Which was scary to say in the least. "So unlike London, it is so peaceful here yet sometimes I miss the craziness of the technology in London." Tiri mused.

Wait where had Olaf gotten off to ?

Marion shrugged to Tiri's question. "Perhaps one of our servants hid them during the...incident. To safe-guard them." She said thoughtfully. She placed the paintings back and set the mattress back over them again to cover any tracks that they were there. "We need to get out of here..." She said calmly. "Who knows when Mark will get back?"

"Technology or not; shadows will follow...what will you do when they find you ?" The Light said calmly, nodding to the darkness of the room.

"That may be so Mother, but still... We can relax!" Tiri said moving towards the door, it felt like it was time to leave. Possibly well past time to leave "We can relax Mother, I dont know the meaning of the word, 'fear'" That said Tiri opened the door, wait had they closed it when they went in ? It didnt matter, she was fully expecting to see Olaf, but instead she was greeted by two HUGE Shadowy kobold like creatures, and between them was the biggist gun she had ever seen. Tiri briefly stood and stared for a long moment

With the two massive creatrues was a male fellow. Who looked... oddly familar ? "Say your prayers Icewraith!" _How the fuck did he know I'm not human ?_ Tiri briefly wondered.

Tiri held up a hand with a finger pointed up. "Fear, noun, a state of a terror." She shrieked in the shadowy creatures faces and slammed the door, holding it shut with all her weight behind it. But these were Shadow kobolds, creatures she had never seen personally even as Xier Zith! In all essence Tiri was spread eagle on the door, holding it shut, but that huge as cannon they had with them... could her own magic hold the door shut ?

Light moved swiftly, grabbing the painting that Marion had pulled out and then taking Marion's arm. "Come...we must go." She said. With that she vanished with a flash of light, taking Marion with her, leaving Tiri, the poor girl, to fend for herself. The Light knew she would be fine, regardless of what happened to her. Tiri was too durable to be killed by something as simple as a shadow cannon.

 **KABOOM!** "YAHOO!" The cannon went off with a thunderous explosion, the massive shadowy ball of fire slammed into the door, and into Tiri dead on, She grabbed it, holding on like hell as she slammed into, and through the rotting brick wall of the bedroom, leaving behind a smouldering jagged hole one could easily fit a minivan through that was edged with slivers of ice, as she went flying like a shot clean across the Kingdom. Oddly, too far away too for that matter for the shadowy creatures to follow.

She slammed into the roof of a barn in the Talz district, where the mule deer were normally kept, this new barn was being rebuilt, so it was partly new, and needed a new roof as Tiri completly broke it apart like toothpicks as the shadowy cannon ball sputtered into nothing as she slammed into the building. Breaking wood and landing in a heap in hay and thick sawdust. She laid there for several minutes stairing at the... well at what USED to be a barn rooftop loft. "...That was fun!... OW!"

It was a minute or so later when her two companions jonied her and they headed... somewhere

 **12 Febuary 2052**

 **Arendelle**

 **Wolfe District**

 **Dawn**

 **Marions Bedroom, Wolfe Manor**

Mark's eyes flashed a bit before returning back to normal. "You two... return to your training... tell the contractor to fix this room immediately." he said to his apprentances, who had been staring at him the whole time in awe. He narrowed his eyes and flicked out an arm, a transport array in the shape of his Family Seal appearing next to him before he stepped into it and vanished from the room with a flash. He reappeared in the Wolfe Family Library, the only part of the Wolfe Manor he was going to let open to the public by the end of the week.

"Yes sir" came the reply, apparently their teacher had found what they were to seek ?

Kobolds...who used Kobolds? He searched every book on Kobolds the Wolfe family publicly had. He' d yet to find the private library. But he was sure there was an entire vault somewhere within Arendelle dedicated to it...And Much like Elsa's Mother's private library, it needed to be found. He remembered a portion of a map of some sort within the vault he found containing the forges with which he forged his armor...perhaps that held a key. He opened another transport array and appeared at the entrance to the vault. He looked around, and wished that he had the knowledge to set up a barrier around the foyer of the Manor; where the entrance to the vault was located.

He sighed and summoned his gauntlet, kneeling he put his fingers into the holes in the floor, gripped them, and twisted his hand. The hiss of escaping air escaped the floorboards as they creaked, and a grand spiral staircase was revealed just next to him. He released the lock, and vanished into the vault, the floor closing behind him.

The stairs when in their unopened state formed a flawless wood floor as the workers got busy to rebuild the broken wall. As the stairs traveled in a circle ever downwards for at least a hundred steps, it was another hundred steps before the bottom was reached and the sounds of technology could be heard. Technology from a ancient age as bronze, gold, silver, and duradaeden glittered upon the walls and seemingly glass floor as vault doors were seen, one recently opened.

One that had not been open before the last time he was there. Faint pale light glittered in the gridlike patterns of the flooring and walls of the massive Wolfe Vaults. Formerly a Precoursuer vault, the First Generation had built the vault up, kept it intact, whereas the vault in new york had lost its floor and many areas had massive canyons without a bottom just appear over time. The Wolfe Vaults were the most intact, much like the vault under Rome.

But this new vault held something in it. Something that glittered. Was it knowledge ? Technology ? Riches ?

Mark narrowed his eyes at the door that had opened within the vault. It was definitely not there when he was last in here, making his armor. With his gauntlet still on his arm he summoned his sword, it appearing sheathed on his back. He drew it slowly as he slowly approached the opened door before getting against the wall silently. He stopped and listened foor at least two minutes before moving, his left hand out and right arm with the sword ready to stab something as if he were holding a spear at the moment. He turned with a sharp inhale of breath and a stone-dead expression, his claws swiping at the air as if waiting for someone to be there in ambush.

But there was only one person in the room, the massive, possible six car garage sized gymlike room held a single pedistal, on it was apparently a pair of twin swords of bright glass, a single woman stood staring at the weapons. Mark could see clean through her. But when the woman spoke it became clear who she was. "For what we seek, there is a cost to be paid in the end. They are closer now then ever." The woman turned, it was Elena. But it was confusing, was Elena a Precoursor, like her great grandmother had rebelled against and founded Arendelle so many eons before ?

She smiled then seeing and recognising Mark "Greetings Guardian." She said as the twin swords faded from view into a single item. A journal of sorts. But with it, what it sat upon, was something Mark recognised, the Healing Stones. There were four of them...

Four of them, for the Four Core Members of his family. Did that mean they still lived ? Or no ?

Elena stepped from the pedistal, as she did a video seemed to play as lines of glowing green and gold latched onto Mark as he stepped closer, the video showed a young woman, clearly his mother, Chairty, placing the journal there, and then picking up something, a basket. An infant inside. His mother so young! An infant in a basket. Wait, Didnt his mother sneak off with the baby once for something she wanted to do alone when he and his father treated with the Queen that same morning due to the inrfants illness ?

Mark froze when he saw Elena, his eye twitching. He slowly sheathed his sword as he began to circle her slowly as she stood on the pedestal. He'd not been able to move during their last conversations, he wanted to make the most of it. He froze again as he saw the video, narrowing his eyes again and furrowing his eyebrows as he stepped towards it. His sister? He could make out his mother plainly enough; but was that his sister? He must have been...no older than five or four years old at this point.

His mind went to the words she spoke. A cost to be paid for what we seek, they are closer now than ever. _They_ ? "Who is this _They_ you speak of ?" He asked to Elena, looking to the precurser with a slight tilt to his head.

"They have split one family once. They are close to doing it again." Elena replied. The 'video' shifted forwards to the time of the painting. the one thing that was crystal clear were Marions eyes, both as an infant, when her mother used one of the stones, and at the painting. Again Marion was on her mothers lap in the painting, Mark by their side, with their father, Marcus having one arm on his son, and on his wife. Then, one by one the members of the family faded, starting with his father. then as the attack on the manor came, his mother and sister faded from the video. Leaving only Mark.

The massive vault showed its age then as the video showd the seemingly endlessly working forges going cold one by one. The Templar Cross going up as a flag was raised and the last fleeting glimpse Mark had as a child of his beloved Sister was when the wall in the dining room collapsed into a cloud of dust. "They split your family. Death followed those that tried to hide. This room. this book. these stones." Elena said, typical cryptical speak too. "Take the stones. Keep them safe" the journal held a secret. the secret of the Precoursors, and how the Stones worked.

But there was something else.

Why had his mother come down there, with Marion as a infant ? Sure Marion had been ill shortly after her birth, but so ill to use a Healing Crystal ?

It was then out of the blue when Elena asked, "The Heart of the Mountain rests peaceful ?" She meant Elsa, was she safe ?

They...the Templars ? Had to be. Based ont he video. But he didn't set his mind straight on it; there was more, he knew better. He turned from the video as the Templar cross went up. He remembered that day vividly. He did not need to see it again. But the stones... he walked over to them, his clawed fingers hovering over them as he examined them. And the Journal... He narrowed his eyes and grabbed it, opening it. This was not only his mother's hand-writing... it seemed to be passed down through the generations, from Kudzul or older to English.

Mark turned at Elena's last question. "I wouldn't be here if she didn't." He said simply. "I'd think you'd know that." there was respect in his voice despite his choice of words. The last thing he wanted was to be put in another trance and locked again.

The last passage in the journal were the only words he recognised instantly as his mothers hand. Written in Kudzul. But apparently only so he or a member of the family could recognise it. As Elena seemed to smile and watch as Mark read the entry from his mother.

It read

" _To my beloved children._

 _I had a dream as a child of your age. To have a brother. and yhet, when he was born he did not survive the first winter. he was frail, and soon passed. I knew then not to make the same mistake when I had the two of you. you are my pride and joy. My children, my family. Flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood. When Marion was born I was overjoyed, my dream had come true, two children, you. Mark, when I have gone and you find this journal, take care of your sister. Marion, if you should find this, and I am gone, take care of your brother. trust each other. do not give up hope._

 _When all looks lost remember; we work in the dark to serve the light. you are Assassins by blood, by birth. when men fail to see the truth remember, you are blood for blood, when all that is finally laid bare before you remember, trust one another. Love will thaw._

 _I love you my children._ " It was further followed by notes from Charity on the severety of Marions illness, and the life her eyes took upon healing from the crystal destined for her. Her natural affinity for the vaults. and how the twin swords sang as she carried the infant near them.

But one thing was clear, the last look either of them got of the other. Marion, in their mothers arms, carried to safety, Mark, in the arms of his adopted mother Snowfeather, carried to safety, the last time a family ever saw each other. Their eyes forever connecting once more soon.

Out of the blue then Elena spoke "You seek the maker of the damage above ? Or perhaps an explination of why the Heart of the Mountain was here when she was with you ?" It seemed even to confuse Elena, how could Elsa be in two places at once ?

Mark read the entry with some hesitation, the notes made his jaw shake a bit. So close to losing his sister... he never knew how close... He swallowed and closed the book before looking up. He let out a shaky breath before setting the book back. At Elena's question, he turned to her again, but only slightly, his head turned. However he was still after she spoke. He could hear a faint whispering in his ear, whispering from Kaldakava. Mark's eyes glazed over with a gleam of Silver for a few seconds before he blinked and shook his head. He turned to Elena. "Yes to the first, no to the second...And one more thing...I want more light in this vault...there's more to it."

Elena smiled, as she spoke the sounds of twin swords rang briefly as the journal was placed back where it belonged. "What do you hope to acomplish then if you find what, or rather, whom, you seek ?" Her hand came up then and touched his necklace, gently lifting it. "Trust your heart. Keep her safe" As she spoke more light coursed through the floor and walls, writing lit the room on each wall, all of it in Kudzul, both modern and ancient. The door too was written over in it.

There was a reason why the journal was there. it was part of that room

As briefly as the room lit it slowly dimmed until only the pedistal was lit by a ghostly overhead light, and the strange ghostly swords faded into view atop it. "Go, seek those who did the damage to your home. Trust... _them both_ "

Elena then went stern faced as another brief video appeared, a group of men and women in a room, the templar flag once more behind the group. "They are closer to reaching their goal, if the Heart of the Mountain is to be safe, they must never reach it. Trust those you seek who did the damage to this place above. Keep her safe." With that Elena disappeared in lines of golden green light that soon faded as if shattered.

It was time to pay a vist to a well known Brothel

 **Arendelle**

 **Talo District**

 **A few moments later**

A mule-deer drawn carriage pulled up to the front of the newly renovated brothel, and Mark stepped out wearing only his cloak, now that it was clean and not smelling of sewers. His boots and pants were also clean, giving him the complete package of cleanliness. He gazed at the building and sighed, shaking his head before walking in. He didn't particularly care for brothels or the girls that worked in them. But he had questions that needed answering. He stood tall in the doorway as a gaggle of girls swarmed him; but he waved them off sternly, his face stern beneath his hood. His beard had been recently trimmed, and hugged his chisled jaw-line firmly while also framing his lips.

He spotted a desk, and walked up to it, spotting a girl sitting behind it he rolled his knuckles along the wooden top, knocking to get the girl's attention. "I need to see the Mistress of this establishment... official Assassin business from the highest authority." he said.

The yong woman, oddly dressed in a much less revealing outfit compared to the rest of the Girls that Mark had seen so far since entering that building, looked up to him from where she sat. He wanted to see Tiri ? On Assassin business ? Wait didnt Master Blackmane already handle that for the day ? The girl's deep brown eyes seemed conflicted before she smiled and nodded Standing up she said simply "Please wait here a moment" She directed him to a nearby room, thankfully devoid of girls near it and disappeared behind a door.

Once the door closed behind her she dropped her desguise, sometimes she had to get her hands dirty. And this was one ofr those times. Light took the steps two at a time to Tiri's floor and knocked twice, hearing Tiri called out something icelandic Light figured it meant come on it. and entered the room closing the door behind her.

"Well this cant be good" Tiri mumbled; some of her shards were missing, and she had a feeling of where they were. Every now and then since getting shot to Talz District she'd been regrowing her dress in a manner of speaking. "Mother what is it ? Why do you look as if caught in the headlights of a London doubledecker hoverbus ?"

Charity noticed it too, but she also felt something odd. "Tiri, see to it that Marion and I have a contract, or at least dont let whoeever seeks you near this room ?" That made sense, Chiarty had the sinking feeling that her son was deadly near. And Like Marion had said before, if Mark knew they were alive, someone would wake up dead

"He is here, yes. I directed him to the waiting area. the conference room you use when Blackmane or one of the other Mentors arrive here." Light replied.

"Wait, He... you mean Mark ?" Light just nodded to Charity's question

Oh... Shit

Tiri stabbed a icelike shard of glass into the desktop wood before her "Well, that settles it. Mother and I will speak to Mark then, best not keep him waiting long." Wait that wouldnt work, Tiri looked too much like Elsa as it was, if he saw her face. She stood up from the desk. once more a hooded viel covered her face, leaving only her eyes seen. Recently since coming home to Arendelle the girls rarely saw their employers for more then scant moments, and never seeing their faces either aside from Diana.

Then again, Diana was, like Mark, a master at hiding in plain sight. Which helped. "Alright, if you insist on seeing him, like that, we'll need someone we can trust to keep us both sane in the same room with us ?" Light replied calmly. Tiri was nodding as her mother spoke

"I agree, Diana shall come with us, its been decades since they had seen each other, and Mark does not know Marion is still alive, just, under a different name. Hell he saved you, with Elsa, from a Templar mob when you first got here alone!" Tiri said turnings towards Diana, after a week the three had learned every nook and cranny in the building, and could get anywhere without any of the girls noticing anything amiss. But would Mark notice ?

Mark's head twitched as it turned to look as the Light and Tiri entered again, Light having thrown up her disguise again. His nostrils flared; someone was wearing perfume... He kept his eyes on Tiri however as she entered the room. "A pleasure to see you on such short notice." He said.

Diana froze as she hid on the other side of the room, having slipped in not two seconds before. Mark ? She slowly turned her head towards him, thanking the gods her hood and scarf were raised to block her face from sight even though she was behind him. What the hell was he doing here ?

"I'll be blunt; you and some friends of yours were in the Wolfe Manor a couple of weeks ago. I want to know what happened to my sister's wall. Top Floor, second hallway, fifth door on the left. The Northern Wing" He took a step forward and raised his chin a bit so that Tiri could see his blazing bronze eyes. "I've seen much; but I didn't expect to see a dopplganger of Elsa, and two other females, both of which also look ibextremely/b/i familiar as well, by the way, with her."

His lips were tugged by a small unhappy twitch. "Care to explain?"

What wall ? Tiri wanted to ask, had she been to the Wolfe Manor ? Twice actually yes she had, and she had also been to the Talz District too, that hurt on landing but either way. but it was his mention of Doppleganger of Elsa that had Tiri's silver eyes lock on him completely as she repeated the word. "Doppleganger ?" Clearly confused by what he meant, did he meant to say she was twins with someone he had all but frenchkissed in public before the entire kingdom ?

"Well..." Tiri said simply, tapping a silver finger against her vieled chin. "I was expecting not you but another Mentor to give information to concerning an explosion in one of the districts a few weeks ago, the Mentors are past due by three weeks." Tiri said, as if she were to be giving her monthly report three weeks before to Blackmane or Snowfeather. "I suppose that is you I am to give it to ?"

Wait... what ?

"When was the date of this... occurance ?" Light then asked while disguised she could clearly see Kalda faceplaming himself within Mark, dont even think about it kiddo, Light mused. If Kalda broke the ice about who Tiri really was, that would suck very muchly.

Tiri spoke up however before Mark could reply right away "Hold it, time out, ..."Tiri made the time out sign with her hands as she spoke ". The Queen idoes/i know why you came here... alone... right ? Or are you actually doing this behind her back ?" and infront of your own sister ? "I mean, she knows... why you came here by yourself, without her." She gave him a look from behind her viel "Right ?" Fact was, Elsa just woke up, she had absolutely no idea where Mark was at that moment.

Mark's eyes darted to the Light as she spoke, the blazing Bronze piercing through her and seeing for what she was...Nothing? His eyes narrowed inquisitively: A white void. Strange. He opened his mouth before being cut off by Tiri; her question tugged at something and his temper flared.

Standing suddenly with a feral, inhuman growl from deep within his throat, his fists clenched so tight the knuckles cracked. "The Queen will know when the time is right; but I think she is none of your concern don't you..." His eyes peered straight at her, piercing and all-seeing. "...Ice Wraith?" he finished his snapping statement.

He let out a breath and sat back down. "Now answer my question; what were you doing in the Wolfe Manor, my _**sister's**_ room no less? And why the ever-loving hell is there a massive blast hole in her wall?!"

Light raised an eyebrow, Uh oh. Tiri simply smiled behind her viel. With a snicker she shattered before his eyes, yep the cat was outta the bag for sure. "Well I sure feel sheepish" Tiri said shifting her ice shards into the shape of a lamb. "Alright you bad boy, if you so much as tell anyone anything that you see or hear in this room, you're gonna have to use a stepladder to tie your shoes, got it ?" She reformed then. Only three people know knew she could do such a thing now. Light, Charity and Marion.

She sat back in her own chair and thought a moment on how to reply. "The snowman." she said at long last. "That and we felt... magic from within the room. Of course we got cornered and had to flee fast." She cast a mirthful look towards her mother, Light, who simply raised an eyebrow as if to say "No idea what you refer to dear girl." Tiri continued. "We had to leave quick. We... had unwanted visitors. Relax, we got permission to be there already"

She almost smirked and said Kalda right then and there, but didnt.

Light rolled her eyes, this was gonna be a long day. She was thankful for her own magic. It was ageless, and extremely powerful. "Truth of the matter is simple, Master Wolfe. Elsa concerns me very much because at the drop of a snowflake she could shut this place down. And where would you be without your best path of information from drunken templars with lovely ladies to tend their needs ?"

Mark's hands relaxed slowly before he rolled his fingers in and out of fists, calming down rather quickly. Olaf...he should have known. From now on, he'd no longer be allowed on the manor grounds. He sighed and stood, Light was right. But his rage-induced question wasn't to her...though she did answer quite correctly.

"Good day, ladies... Not a word to anyone."

He turned, and stared directly at Diana for a good second before transport Arraying himself out of the room.

Diana blinked and lowered her hood slowly. "He knew I was here..." she sounded... exhasperated. No one could detect her before! Even Snowfeather and Blackmane had times when they couldn't sense her!

"You can relax. Hopefully. Mother ?" Tiri said thoughtfully.

"He only saw you and I clearly, daughter, not you, I think" Light replied thoughtfully. "Kalda is awake sooner then expected, but it does not matter at this moment, what matters is that we can trust him to keep his word."

"I think Mark's Eagle Vision is beginning to be able to dispell magic... but he can't see through clothing... He doesn't know who I am. But knows that I'm now affiliated with the brothel." Marion responded calmly... She remembered an earlier lesson with Blackmane about Eagle Vision, and stories her mother'd told her as a girl.

"My question is; what took him so long in finding that exit I left ?" Tiri asked

"He likely hadn't been to that wing in a while; Snowfeather's probably kept him busy." Light said.

"Possible. But for him to recognise me as... well.. not... wait... oh crud" Tiri picked up a book on the table and hit herself in the head with it. "I'ma dummy!" She all but shrieked. Mark had Eagle Vision, just like Marion did! Elsa too. But Tiri had forgotten that with enough clues to a scene of any kind, a mental video of the event that caused the clues could occur! Thank goodness Marion had her back to the window during it all to begin with! "Mark knew I was an Icewraith because the idiot in the hall told me to say my prayers and called me an Icewraith!" She turned to Marion, "He never saw your face directly, because your back was to the wall when Mother took you to safety!"

Hopefully that made sense

"The good news is, that even though he is working to decern deeper meanings with use of his Vision skills. He cannot focus deep enough to find the truth of my being." Light said thoughtfully. she smiled and nodded "My magic is strong enough to shield you when you go out. When he looks in your direction with his Vision he will see only whiteness. Nothing more, when normally looking at you he will see you, another recruit. We can make a fake custom or law you must go by to keep your face covered in public perhaps ?" Tiri was nodding as her mother spoke, that made sense

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Icerink Courtyard**

 **One hour later**

 **Before Breakfast**

The courtyard area was mostly where the Arendelle, and more recently, the Assassin soldiers, trained for battle. Elsa was with them, watching, and learning everything shecould, the night before rang with weird dreams. It drove her crazy. Oddly she slept outwardly rather as if she were dead. Elsa watched as the soldiers trained in mock combat, some used attack dummies, others used each other, and others used whatever came in handy, including their shadows. It was confusing in a way, how these men and women skillfully paced themselves. Even the new raw recruits were taking into a stride by the more experienced soldiers

A few soldiers saw her and briefly paused long enough to bow in greeting, words of "Your Majesty" and "Highness" were heard through the group as Elsa stepped closer, intent on watching. She smiled and waved them off, "No need to bow, we're all equals here. I came outside to clear my head, things have been... trying recently and I need a means to clear my head a bit. Have you any ideas ?" She meant in terms of training, sparring, whatever.

After she spoke there was a small screech as Ulnaus flapped hard to slow himself down while he landed on the wall and began to preen himself. And if he landed, it meant only a few things...

"Is that?"

"nah, can't be!"

"But there's Master Snowfeather!"

"So that's him? He doesn't look so tough."

"He'll tear your throat out as if it were a dandilion in a field of roses."

"Oh..."

Mark approached Snowfeather as she oversaw the training, he pointed to the few that were looking at him and made a fist, his order to keep training. This was backed up by a squak by Ulnaus.

"Mentor." he lowed his head in greeting.

Snowfeather smiled seeing Mark arrive, she nodded in greeting, looking towards the left of his arrival. "She's over there, with your sisters. Learning." She said in answer to his unasked question. Serena was awake more then Serenity, yet the two were teaching and learning with Elsa. In many ways the twins were learning how to defend against a magic user. And in many ways they were teaching Elsa how to properly defend and attack with her ice. there were some scratches, but nothing life threatening.

"They have been at it almost an hour now, just the three of them." Snowfeather said "Was your mission a success ?"

Mark shook his head and slowly lowered his hood. "No. I tracked them to the Brothel; but got no answers." He said calmly. "They merely dodged the question. But apparently they were following Olaf... time to ban him from the manor." he said calmly, rubbing his eyes a bit, using Eagle Vision for so long having placed a bit of a strain on them.

"The Brothel ? Why would anyone ... oh... I remember now, Elsa was deadset against rebuilding the place. Yet now with the information the Girls there provide us for district liberations recently." She mused and chirped with laughter for a brief moment "Olaf ? Ban him ? Impossible, he is a snowman, and snowmen dont really have good memory skills. Elsa created him, pure innocence. No other way about it." Snowfeather said.

Of course the mention of the Brothel sure brought up Elsas hearing. What ? She tried to pay it no heed but it was hard, thankfully the Twins backed off to give her a respite long enough for her to cast a quick look to Mark, what was that about the Brothel ?

Snowfeather paid Elsa no heed at that moment, as Elsa made it clear that when she was with the Twins or other Assassins sparring she was to be treated just like a fellow Assassin and not the Queen. Speaking in hebrew she asked Mark. " _What did you find out ? You will blind yourself before too long the more you use the Vision, you know that._ "

Mark chuckled at the mention of Olaf's innocence, of course he meant it as a joke. Though at the brothel he'd been serious... Anger was tricky. He didn't catch Elsa's look to him, his eyes remaining on Snowfeather as he spoke.

" _They didn't tell me much. Only that they were there following the Snowman. But my Eagle Vision showed me otherwise. Two of them aren't human... I... strange._ " he paused. " _It wasn't them that blasted the hole though... it was someone else, the clues of the scene showed me as much. Though I didn't know them... I'll have to do some research._ " he responded in Hebrew flawlessly.

" _Not human ? Feline ?_ " Snowfeather asked, Elsa, not understanding a word the two were saying simply nodded to the twins, the three went back at it as Snowfeather motioned to her own group to continue their training session of seige defense. She motioned for Mark to walk with her a moment. " _There are only two races on this planet, you know for a fact I am not human. Nor is my sister, or my daughters, your sisters._ " She took a breath then, thoughtful. " _What... **did** the damage you found ? can you describe... them ?_ "

" _The ones who did the damage weren't human either; and they had something else with them... a Kobold, if I remember my ancient texts correctly. The vision showed two figures... they were solid black... I could see nothing else. Two of the three others that initailly entered the room weren't human... one an Icewraith... the other... I'm not sure... all I could see was a plume of Light._ " he said calmly, walking with her without missing a beat.

" _It was those two I tracked to the brothel; I recognized one of them from the vision as I'd seen her before... knew she ran the brothel, or at least represented it._ " he explained.

" _Icewraith ? I have never heard of such a term, or a race before..._ " Snowfeather felt, for a brief second or two, at a loss. But dismissed it when Mark mentioned the Kobold. " _A kobold is a rare thing to see. The only one I know of is a guy named Mike. I wonder if he is still around. You could ask him if he was. Last I recall he used to live here in Arendelle._ " She stopped at the rail looking out over the harbor and port districts below. " _Elsa was looking for you briefly not too long ago. the Girls offered to spar with her until you got here. but, would it be wise to tell Elsa why you were not feeding the birds this morning ?_ "

How did she know about that ?

Mark nodded along as she spoke of the Kobold named Mike. He looked over the Port districts and the water itself. Such a relaxing scene. Romantic even under the right circumstances and with the right person. He shook the thought from his mind. He sighed and nodded; right... Elsa.

He put his hand on Snowfeather's back towards her waist as a half pat, half hug in farewell as he turned. His eyes found Elsa quickly and he smiled softly, heading towards her.

Snowfeather smiled, and with a quick nod said " _Inform the soldiers that when the breakfast bell rings they are to report to their districts, until then continue training, I will go see if Mike is still around for you. See to her._ " With that she all but pushed him towards Elsa. His eyes on the prize and none watching her she disappeared in the cry of an eagle that caught, briefly, Ulanus attention clearly as Snowfeather flew off.

As Mark came closer he saw that Elsa had seemingly ditched a single blade in favor of two, after all she was sparring with two others at the time. perhaps it was to better adapt ? Her movements were fluid and smooth, like that of a dancer as she sparred with Marks adopted sisters. the two girls had their normal combat outfits on, minus their tradiational hoods. their arms were bare, Mark could faintly see markings like that of a striped cat on both girls upper arms and at the base of their necks. Elsas dress too, in recent days, seemed to look just a bit darker. Like it was wet with blood. it sparkled in the rising sunlight.

Both girls had sparring blades with them. Serena carried a bamboo sword of sorts, whereas Serenity used a pair of bokken blades. Serenity had her back to Mark and never felt him approach as she blocked a strike and aimed to strike back at Elsa during their sparring when something... or rather, some _one_ suddenly lifted the sword from her right hand. _Ah dang he did it again!_ Serenity thought as she heard her twin crack up and Elsa stifle a giggle

Mark twirled he sword in his hand lightly before handing it back to his sister, handle first. He turned to Elsa. "My Queen. I'm told you wanted to see me earlier? Probably about the birds?" He asked. Ulnaus chirped and he smiled. "I was... on a little mission of my own design. Went to the Wolfe Manor to find something... found something else... went to the Brothel to ask get info; got hardly anything." He explained calmly.

Elsa raised an eyebrow as Serenity took back her sword, iHe went to the Brothel ? Alone ? OK now why did... Nah, better not make a scene/i, she thought. It was better she not know what information he sought. "Was it about the busted door we found last night ? Did you ever sleep ?" Thankfully he had, like her. So that in and of itself was good wasnt it ? She set her own blades point down on the ground like walking sticks "Its alright if you dont want to tell me you dont have to. I wont force you"

"Force who to what now ?" Came a new voice as Anna stepped into view. it was nearly breakfast time. and she had been searching for her sister. "Aha! Found you two!you four I guess. Breakfast is ready, Kai couldnt find you so I decided to lend a hand and here you are!"

Elsa smirked and hugged her sister. "How long have you been up ?"

"About twenty or so minutes, I woke up to breakfast cooking" Anna replied. She looked to Mark and the twins. "You guys hungry ? Kai set the table for five, I cant find Kristoff, then I remembered that he was visiting his family this week"

Mark nodded to both of her questions before smiling. His smile faded slightly as she put her sword tips on the ground as she did, but he said nothing. "Indeed my Queen; force me to do what?" He teased her, poking her stomach before bowing slightly to Anna with a smile.

"Anna, so good to see you. I apologize for not seeing you as often as I'd like; been busy and all." He said calmly, shrugging. As for hunger, he shrugged. "I ate on my way to get information about the door in the Wolfe Manor; but I might be up for more." he commented in regards to the food. He could see a bit of concern regarding the Brothel in Elsa's eyes, but said nothing.

"I could use some food" Serena said, Anna had met her about a week ago and mistook her for Serenity, who had been with Anna almost since arrival in Arendelle. Really since Elsas birthday party five weeks before actually, had it been that long ?

"Me too!" Spoke up Serenity she took the wooden training swords and went to the rack as Anna all but dragged Elsa to the diningroom, Mark in tow as Elsa all but latched onto him. Anna, for a thin woman, was strong.

"Food is on the table!" Anna announced, which was also the moment the breakfast bell went off

"Anna, we have guests, not so hard! Whoa! There are doors in this hall sis!" Elsa spoke at random points, a few times nearly nailing herself thanks to Anna dead in the doorframes, or in the edges of doors as Anna dragged her to breakfast, It wasnt the first time either Elsa mused, ever since they had reconnected, Anna had dragged her to breakfast on most mornings.

Mark laughed as Anna dragged Elsa around like a ragdoll, and he followed, having to jog at times to keep up. His sisters followed as best they could as well while other Assassins made their way to where they needed to be as well. It wouldn't be long before they were all seated and eating. Mark spoke to break an awkward silence.

"So how's your combat training coming along, Elsa?" He asked her with a smile, deciding that later he'd spar her to see for himself.

Before Elsa could answer Serenity spoke up, "Why not ask Serena, she was taking a good beating this morning" Elsa tried to not laugh and choke on her breakfast but it was no good. the unlady like **WHACK** from Serena on her sister was hilarious sounding as Anna just raised an eyebrow. OK this was odd

"Hey! I thought we agreed not to tell!" Serena grumbled as her sister broke down laughing while trying to drink coffee.

"Is that what you were doing this morning ? Was that why no birds ?" Anna was used to it by now, flocks of birds in the courtyard before breakfast, so many birds that the soldiers couldnt train until _after_ breakfast.

Elsa just nodded. Finally she said "It is going well, as hoped at least. I havent had to kill anyone... recently. So that is good, right ?" She smiled, giving Mark a pointed look then she asked simply. "What did you find out about the door ?"

Mark only laughed softly at the antics of his sisters, focusing his attention back on Elsa. "Besting my sisters in combat at the same time is no easy feat with two blades, let alone one..." he said with a smile. "We'll have to test you against me soon." He winked softly before taking a drink and setting the cup down and clearing his throat.

"I didn't learn much, to be honest; they didn't tell me much when I went to investigate. They dodged every question as if they'd rehearsed it for weeks." he shook his head and sighed. "All I'm concerned with is gitting my home rebuilt." he mumbled before beginning to eat.

"You seem troubled dear brother" Serena said as Elsa ate and listened, clearly unhappy Mark had gone without her to the Brothel, normally they left the vists to Snowfeather or Blackmane, "If not about the damage to the door, then something else entirely." Serena had a contemplative look to her face, and tone to her voice as she ate.

"How soon ?" came the question, however it was not only from Elsa but her sister as well. Soon as in, after breafkast, or before lunch ? Either worked. but in Elsa's case, the sooner the better

"How soon for what ?" Came a new voice as Blackmane appeared in the doorway with Kai holding it open for her. Ah, Aunt Blackie had arrived. Oh boy. She did not look too happy either. She had found out recent happenings. And had to share the information she had found out.

Mark grunted in response to his sister's concern. " _I'll be fine_ " he said in their made-up language before turning to answer Elsa's and Anna's question as to when Elsa could spar with Mark. As he opened his mouth however Blackmane entered, and he stood to greet her. "Mentor..." he bowed his head before sitting again.

"How soon Elsa should spar with me, rather than my sisters, which she has apparently proven to be able to handle on her own easilly enough." he answered the question. "I'd say right after breakfast, myself. What do you think? Or... is there something on your mind that is more pressing?" His eyes were very perceptive, even without eagle vision, and he could see that something troubled his adopted aunt.

"If you feel up to it, then go for it. But I found more information rather pressing." Blackmane said, "I think you should know, all of you. We have a unwanted enemy wandering the world. Mark; when you were in the Tomb, what did you find ? Who did you speak with ?" She meant the former undead, well, not exactly dead but not exactly alive either, kingdom that was under the Wolf Queens control deep in the mountains.

Elsa nodded, Sparring with Mark after breakfast, sounded good to her!

Mark raised an eyebrow, his knuckles slowly curling into a fist as they rapped on the table. "I spoke to a Templar Commander... He spoke of someone being back. Said "She" was back... If I remember correctly that was... Ingrid the First's tomb, no ? The Wolf Quee-" He-Kaldakava- gagged and Mark coughed a few times, shaking his head and drinking to clear his throat.

He blinked a few times before swallowing. "Don't tell me that commander was telling the truth..." He sighed before shaking his head, leaning back in his seat and rubbing his bearded chin softly in thought.

Blackmane nodded, Elsa spat out her drink. "The woman from the historybook you gave me, she's real ?" Elsa had read the history section carefully, insofar as seeing it as son many generations old it was an old story. but no, if it were true...

"Yes" Blackmane replied. "This is some big shit I know, but still I learned more in the past few months then I have ever thought to." She then explained what she knew and had found out to those seated at table. "Thankfully, only one of equal power can face the Nexromancer Queen as most called her in the histories." Necromancer Queen made more sense and it was less likely to make Elsa or Mark choke on breakfast

"Aunt Blackmane, what exactly are you trying to say ? That only Elsa or one of the recruits or nobody can take on the Necormancer Queen ? After all these years one would think she'd given up by now" Serenity said softly.

"You have a point, but no, one of equal or greater power can face her, in the histories, the Necromancer was banished and sealed away, her tomb, Mark, you cleansed." Blackman said

"One of equal or greater powers... you mean like my ice and snow ?" Elsa was getting more in tune with using her magic to the point it was mere thought or even just happening before even thinking what she was doing.

Mark sighed and rubbed at his eyes in frustration. Great, another enemy to watch out for and deal with. He merely listened to Blackmane talk, he nodded to the mention of clensing the tomb. "I found some ancient weapons in there as well. Not quite _Duradaeden_ quality, but damn near. The Templars were using them when I slaughtered them." he explained before sighing again.

He stood and bowed his head softly. "I'll be in the courtyard when you're ready." He said, a bit agitated by the conversation topic. He spoke to Elsa, of course, though his agitation was not directed at her in the slightest. She'd know if it was; one always got a feeling deep in their gut when Mark was annoyed or worse with them. With that he left the room, and turned the corner to head back to the courtyard.

Elsa nodded to Mark as he spoke. Yes, he'd meet her in the courtyard. But before she could say anything Anna stood up "I'll talk to him, I need his help anyhow to get a note to Kristoff." She said before leaving the dining room. Elsa smiled, at least Anna wasnt dragging her through the castle again.

As her sister left Elsa called after her "Let him know I will meet with him as soon as I finish breakfast!"

"Will do!" Anna called back before disappearing into the hallway towards the courtyard.

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Courtyard**

 **Just after breakfast**

Anna stepped out of the castle into the fresh air of the late winter day. Even though it was Arendelle, the winter nights were on par with the rest of the world. About six to nine hours long. Then came summer with almost constant daylight. Taking a deep breath Anna spotted Mark a ways off and darted after him. When she caught up to him she saw one hand go for his sword and held her hands out. "Whoa, hey! Its me. Relax. Mark are you OK ? Whats bugging you ? You're never like this at breakfast! Whoa!" She ducked as a bird landed on Mark's outstreched hand and started chriping, the bird was clearly agitated of a late breakfast.

Mark found a bag of bird-feed and spread it out over the courtyard while cooing like a dove. Hundreds of birds soon found their way to the courtyard and were eating away happily, though agitated that breakfast was late. Mark looked to Anna as a parakeet landed on her head. He smiled at that, but then returned to being rather grim. "The situation isn't good; a new enemy. One I likely can't do anything against."

He sighed. "It's my duty to protect Elsa... your sister and Arendelle's Queen. And if I can't do that, then what good am I ?" he asked. He shook his head. "But I must have faith that Elsa can handle herself; she's proven as much so far anyway." He sighed, the parakeet moving to his sword-hilt as it rested on his back. It tweeted a cute song before Ulnaus flew away into the distance with a screech, some smaller hawks following him to go hunt for larger prey.

"Dont think of it that way, Mark. What good are you ? Plenty, dont you see how Elsa reacts when you're around ? She complained this morning of no birds outside her window like every morning." Anna said. She giggled softly as the Parakeet chirped first from her head then hopped-flew to Marks sword and perched on it and sang some more. "It may not seem like much, but Elsa is happier in recent weeks with you here. Sword fighting with your sisters for example. they were going at it since sunrise, an hour I think before you arrived." Anna snickered a bit then remembering how hard it was for Snowfeather to keep her own group focused on their session with her at the time.

Shaking her head briefly Anna focused "You protect us already quite well. From what I hear you caused a sinkhole in one of the Road Districts somewhere. Just to protect Elsa too!" Anna smiled then and placed a gentle hand on his arm, "Dont say you're not any use, nor ask what use you are, because just being here you help us both. Ok ?"

Mark smiled at Anna's words, and turned to give her a tight hug. "I needed to hear that... thank you." he said. Though he had to resist the urge to look surprised about the sinkhole, since it technically wasn't him. He patted Anna's back and smiled. "I'll keep trying then. For the both of you." The parakeet gave out an annoyed tweet and he laughed. "And you too." He said, letting the Parakeet fly off with a small flock of others to eat some birdseed on the ground.

He let out a sigh. "It's been a while since we've talked, Anna... how are you? How's your own training going? If you're still doing it that is." he said. "And how's Kristoff? I ain't seen him in a while either."

"Kristoff went to visit his family in the Troll Valley, I havent heard from him in nearly two weeks now. I was wondering if you could send one of your birds to see how things are going ? Its too far for a one afternoon trip on my own." Anna said, she returned the hug when it was given. She nodded at the question of training. "Serena and Snowfeather were kind enough to offer to teach me how to defend myself. Your sister's very sweet! gentle too"

Anna smiled then, yeah, it had been some time since they last talked. Just the two of them, infact it was Elsa's birthday morning they had last spoken, albiet briefly, in their plot to surprise Elsa that night seven weeks before! "What is so important about this enemy ? Elsa wont tell me anything, only that she is from history. Once ruled Arendelle or some such." Anna had no idea how correct she was on _that_ train of thought

Mark shrugged a bit at her question. "To be perfectly honest with you I don't know very much about her myself. The books I've read only tell me she's a necromancer, and that she was evil. That's all I can gleam from it." He said softly. In response to Anna's response to send a bird to check on Kristoff, he nodded, and snapped his fingers, Ulnaus appearing in front of him before he clicked his tongue a few times and pointed towards the Troll Valley.

Ulnaus nodded and took off with a screech.

Mark smiled softly as he watched the bird go. "I'll need more time to compile a better dossier on our new foe... better research is needed. If I can find more of my family's private libraries I might be able to do what I need to do." He said calmly before sighing once more. He looked back to Anna and tilted his head.

"Did you get your hair cut recently? Looks different."

Anna smiled, "thank you" Hopefully everything was fine in the troll Valley. She blushed however when Mark mentioned her hair seemed shorter, in truth it kinda was, "Uh... yeah about that. Your mom, Snowfeather, its her fault. she got me with her sword when we were training together. Nobody noticed yet, at least, until you just did" Anna seemed shy about it, but it was not really noticed by the kingdom as a whole, and for a time it was only her and Snowfeather that knew of the small blunder

At the mention of library Anna perked up as Snowfeather was arriving by Muledeer carriage, "You mean like Mothers study ? Where Elsa keeps the device I mean ?" Anna knew the device was somewhere, but how did she guess it was in there ? Truth of the matter was, she guessed. "Where does she keep that thing anyhow ? the only times I have seen anything like it is in either the Roughwater Den, or that ring Elsa holds onto."

Mark chuckled at the story of Snowfeather's sword cutting Anna's hair. "It looks nice." He said before tilting his head at the mention of libraries. "Kind of like that one, but... different. My family has multiple hidden LIbraries around the kingdom...if only I can find them. There must be a map somewhere!" He said. It was likely deeper in the main Wolfe Vault underneath that manor.

"I wouldn't know about those devices too much." He said. "But my armor isn't much different from them." he added calmly, his armor shimmering into view in the morning light.

"I will never get used to that, how it just... appears" Anna said as Snowfeather stepped into view, unsure of if to take her leave or not, Anna was relieved to see that Snowfeather wanted her there as a man was with her, well, the guy looked more like a guy piledriven six times too many into the ground he was roughly chest high on Anna, and quite possibly shorter compared to Mark alone

"Ah, good, Princess Anna, Mark. I am glad to find you together. This is Mike, Mark, he can tell you everything he told me concerning the creatures you saw from the clues given. Anna, a word if you will ?" Snowfeather said, all but dropping Mike in their laps, so to speak. A brief moment between Anna and Snowfeather and all attention was on Mike and Mark. What was going on ?


	28. Sequence 7 Memory 2

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 7**_

 _ **Memory 2: New Bird in Town**_

 **12 Febuary 2052**

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Courtyard**

 **Mid morning**

 _"We work in the dark to serve the Light"_

 **Assassin motto**

It was an hour since Mike had arrived and Anna was formerly introduced to the butler of a rather important nobleman who had, oddly it seemed, come to aid Mark and Elsa in getting to safety some weeks before. However it was the information the man had for Mark that sent Anna's brain in all directions. An hour of listening and soaking it in, she needed to think, and thinking normally wasnt exactly her strongest suit yet sometimes, with the right person or two, it came easier. As Anna stumbled away from the small group back into the castle, Blackmane stepped out. Knowledge was power, and she could tell Anna had soaked in a bit too much. Blackmane headed for her sister, and her nephew, and another man she had yet to meet.

"The creatures you saw" Mike said thoughtfully, as if painting a picture with words. "They carried a weapon yes ?" Once Mark had detailed what exactly he'd seen in the vision he'd received after gathering clues, Mike went thoughtful and detailed all sorts of things before focusing directly on the creatures themselves. "Dark shadowy creatures, possibly Kobolds... maybe. I've not seen any of those things since the historybooks were first written down for the history of Arendelle ages ago" and by ages ago Mike meant upwards of three maybe four million years ago when the First Ones and his father, Jarius first walked the earth and Arendelle was founded in somewhere around three million BCE by Flowerfist the Fair and her best and trusted friend Second Wolfe. who became more then her bodyguard, Second Wolfe had become Flowerfists most and only trusted advisor she could trust with her life and that of her family

"These weapon these creatures carried, a cannon of a sort ?" Mike was acting as if putting a puzzle together. "A woman held the door closed, was shot with the weapon, yes ?" Mike finally looked solidly at Mark, "What did the woman look like ?"

Mark nodded slowly, and met the man's gaze when it fell on him. For a split second, Mike didn't see Mark, but Second, before his vision realigned and he saw Mark. "She wore a dress similar to Elsa's but it was..." Mark closed his eyes and let the vision wash over him again. "Silver...looked like silver, and her hair...pure white." He looked back to Mike with a stern gaze.

"Would you know who that was?" He asked calmly.

"Possibly, silver dress, like the Queen,... White ha... eye color most likely silver... Yeah, she'll be fine, maybe bad headache at worse. the dark magic in the weapon used merely threw her through a wall, anyone else, unless its the queen, they'd been blasted to bits on the spot" Mike said tapping his chin thoughtfully. He nodded. "The two creatures carrying the weapon were indeed Kobolds from how you describe them. Kobolds I've not seen in ages"

Well, that explained a lot

"But you've seen them? Kobolds I know don't work on their own so ... coordinated. They always work with or for someone. Any guesses as to who would have power over these...massive Kobolds?" Mark asked as his eyes caught sight of Kai's favorite bird flying in, it's brilliant feathers radiating in the sunlight as it flew over him, and landed on the hilt of his sword with a small squawk.

"Kobolds have a leader, even an underling under the leader to oversee and make sure the kobolds do as ordered. you mentioned someone spoke to the woman before she slammed the door in their faces and got shot out of the room like a roman candle on steroids" Mike said thoughtfully, "What did the guy look like ? The Kobolds only carried the weapon and fired it, they had a leader with them, two kobolds is bad enough without a leader, they make too much of a mess on their own"

The woman in silver however had his attentive memory. Where had he seen such a pretty lady recently ?

"I don't remember, to be perfectly honest with you." he said in regards to the man the Kobolds were following. "The angle at which I percieved the vision didn't give me the best view of him before the woman slammed the door shut. And the vision ended just after the cannon fired." he explained carefully.

Idly, Mark looked up to the sky. Ulnaus would be arriving at Troll Valley to see Kristoff any minute now, and Elsa should be finishing up breakfast.

Mike nodded; "But it was a male voice you heard ?" at Marks nod Mike nodded again. "I am sure the Master wont mind it any if you wish to peruse his library, it is quite expansive mind you. there may be certain areas he wont want you to access pertaining to certain lores. So it'd be best if you let him or I know that you wish to look and we can guide you accordingly. Agreed ?" Mike said. his mind already working exactly who spoke, and why that moment.

"What else was in the room that could be found ?"

"Aside from the damage from the blast, nothing that I could note. Of course...I haven't looked over the room too much." Mark replied. "But if you wish to peruse the room and other rooms around the damage, the reparation begins later today. I'll give you permission to enter the Manor." He said calmly.

"I'd rather you be there when I or the Master pay a visit" Mike replied, he smiled "you can rest assured however that, in regards to the weapon, the woman, only thing she'll get is a mild headache, if that. Considering she wears silver, looks like the queen, white hair... yeah, mild headache, at worse, a really deadly case of period, but we wont go into that right now. Its bad enough I gotta clean the stables tonight as it is" Mike said holding out his hand to shake

Mark chuckled and shook Mike's hand firmly. "I'll be there after lunch to inspect; about...two o' clock." he said before smiling and nodding hsi head as Mike turned and left with a small bow, heading back to Jarius' home. Mark sighed softly and shifted his weight to his left leg and hip before turning his head to Blackmane, nodding in greeting he smiled. "Mentor...something you need?" He asked.

"Who was he ?" Blackmane asked. "none too important I do hope ?" He looked familar to her when it clicked, "Wait... was that Mike ?" At Marks nod Blackmane let out a soft whistle "He hasnt changed a bit since I last saw him" which was about seven hundred or so years before.

"Only thing I need is to inform you that the Trolls say hello, Ulnaus nearly nailed me with some bird crap on his way back..." At those words Blackmane smirked towards the massive eagle. "It didnt take him long to find them, apparently he found Kristoff first. according to the note; he should be back in time for dinner tonight. Also" Blackmane reached into her sleeve much like Snowfeather did when letters came "This was to be given to you, the person who gave it to me never said their name. I couldnt even tell who they were by voice either" It was a letter of some form. from apparently England. it only had his name on it in silver and green outlined in bronze

Mark was silent through Blackmane's words, though he did smile at the notion of Ulnaus almost nailing her. At the sight of the letter, however, and seeing that it was from London, he paused, and very gently took it from her examining it with slightly cloudy eyes. He smiled and nodded, tucking it into a jacket pocket quickly.

Seeing Elsa arrive from the castle and sidestep a pile of bird crap on the ground Blackmane smiled. "Good luck, you'll need it. Serena took a nasty whack or two from Elsa this morning" She said, she had a den to keep so she shortly left as Snowfeather had pretty much disappeared

Elsa stepped up to Mark, seeing him looking a bit thoughtful, or lost in thought, one of the two. "You OK ? Anna said you seemed distraught during breakfast, what she told you seemed to perk you up a bit right ? I mean she said she had some words with you about something and she somehow made you happy and you helped her get in touch with Kristoff I hear ?" Elsa's dress shined a beautiful pale red, it was darker then the last few weeks, but it wasn't too dark, it still sparkled brightly in the sunlight.

Mark blinked and smiled as Elsa came into his view. "Yea, I'm fine. Nothing to worry about now." he assured her calmly. With a blink, his distractions left his mind and he gestured to the rack of wooden sparring swords. "I do believe I owe you a round of sparring?"

"Unless..." his right hand slowly reached up to his _Duradaeden_ hilt. "You'd rather go full contact?" He slowly unsheathed the sword, the darkened metal glimmering in the morning sunlight along with his armor, which looked strikingly better in the light than his sword; though that was due to a small augmentation to it he'd done while forging his armor. By adding newer _Duradaeden_ his old sword, previously given to him by Snowfeather as a gift when he became a full fledged Assassin, he made the existing _Duradaeden_ stronger, and with the fusing of the two, made the sword almost black in color.

"What say you, my dear Queen of Arendelle?" he smiled, lowering the point of his sword towards her.

"Both options are good..." Elsa began thoughtfully before smiling, it had been a while since she had made a ice sword. Possibly too long actually. "I think, full contact was it ? is best" As she spoke ice formed in her hands shaping out of the air into a pair of possibly frail useless swords, yet, made of her ice, they were far from useless. These things, in the hands of a master, were deadly weapons. They appeared to be made of glass with a faint vinelike tracery along the flats of the blades, snowflakes and Elsas personal most recognised snowflake formed the crossguard location, yet it quickly faded as the hilts formed in her hands, elegant smooth, beautiful weapons.

She settled into a relaxed pose, the blades pointed downwards. "Ready ?" She asked. She herself seemed more or less relaxed, in truth she had butterflies her stomach, she'd been wanting to spar with Mark, but not full contact, but then again with his armor, not even the new Templar weapons, called pistols and rifles, could get past his armor, her own part of their necklace was made of the same materials and had stopped a Templar from killing her a few weeks before for that matter.

She wanted Mark to make the first move. Most of the time it was her that made the first move, and he'd teach her from there. But with him making the first move, maybe she could turn the tables ?

Was that even possible with Mark ?

As Elsa's swords took form, he spun into his own stance, legs deep with his left hand out in challenge while his sword was pointed towards his enemy. The reason Templars called him The Scorpion. After a few seconds, Mark realized that Elsa wanted him to move first. But he waited just a bit longer, a small crowd of trainees was gathering.

Mark's grip on his sword tightened, and he stepped forward with his front leg. His arm jutted forward as it aimed a stab right for Elsa's chest. This was followed up by an incoming kick to her legs. He wasn't worried about his legs being cut; he'd weaved the Duradaeden around his grieves and even into his boots. The kick was followed up by a slash with his free hand and its claws, and with a slash in the opposite direction from his blade. He breathed out sharply with each movement, making a distinct "Shh" sound.

As Mark made the opening strikes Elsa parried with her left hand, a clear sound of steel on steel rang out as her ice connected with that of the steel that Mark used to upgrade the sword. As it were her ice left no marks, nor did his sword leave any marks on her ice. Sparks exploded from the hits as she side stepped quickly to avoid getting hit in the legs before all but slamming the pommel of her right sword up to push up Marks hand as the claws of the gauntlet went upwards.

For a good minute or two the pair traded fast strikes. A flurry of light snow began to fall around the pair of fighters as they fought. Howeever not one snowflake hit the ground in the area their blades reached, while in a perfect circle around them the snow, light and fluffy flakes of snow, made a light dusting on the tile of the cortyard. It was not long before the fight got a bit quicker and the two were trading strikes and parries with speed as if taught by masters

Which they kind of were. In a way of speaking at least. Elsa was still new to swordfighting, much less sparring and using her ice to make weapons. More and jmore since Matthew had returned, and subsequently left after Mark arrived did her skill with making weapons begin making sense. If that.

Within a moment or so further the pair were moving too quickly for the naked eye to follow, it was as if they werent moving at all and stood still, when in reality for the two they were moving quite quickly, their feet a dance. seemingly of death, but it was a duel between friends then anything else.

Finally they locked weapons. Elsa's left hand was locked against Marks gauntlet, stuck between the claws, as her right sword barely stopped his sword from getting her in the back. She was breathing, oddly, not as hard as she had thought she should have been. Wait was that the noon meal bell already ?

How long had they sparred ?

Mark's breathing quickly slowed during the blade lock. His claws gently tapped on the back of Elsa's hand as he let his fingers relax, and he used that distraction as Elsa turned her eyes to sneak a kiss to her forehead before hopping back with a snicker, landing a few feet back in his trademark stance.

He ignored the bell for the meal; a smile spread across his face as he slowly switched his feet, putting his sword hand first as his hand switched the grip to a reverse grip, and he lowered his stance further into a more defensive one. Now it was time for Elsa to make the first move.

"If you want to eat; strike me. Not glancing or on my armor. Strike _**me**_."

He kissed her. Elsa stared, Did he just... He did, it was on her forehead, but still, he _kissed_ her! They broke apart, it allowed her a brief respite long enough to step back and catch her breath, she quickly examined her swords for damage, the amount of time they had sparred didnt even leave a scratch on either blade. She held up her left blade first, her right blade against her arm

His kiss was unexpected to be sure, but now he wanted her to strike him ? Deliberatly with her swords ? Or her fist ? Elsa looked at him, clearly confused, "Did we sparr too long or did you miss breakfast completely ?" She asked. She could do this, she had a strike in mind, something she figured she could do right off the bat to begin with. But she had to get close enough to land the strike.

She shot her left blade forwards towards Mark, aiming towards his right hand, but it was a fient as her right sword seemed to crack along its edge as she swung it, her ice was unique as she wanted it to look like it was failing. After all it was a fient too.

Mark said nothing, but narrowed his eyes at her movements, watching her shoulders and the rest of her body he completely ignored her intial feint, and moved his right hand out to block her other sword. His ear heard the small crack in its composition, and he angled his sword to land right where the crack should have formed. Meanwhile he was slowly bringing back his leg so he could use his left arm and gauntlet to block any incoming strikes.

The crack held, the ice however spread locking the swords together as Elsa let go of the blade and with her right sword hand free she reached her hand out towards Marks face fast as she could, her left sword flipping about and holding at the gauntlet to keep her face from getting cut as she went in and made her strike.

Dead on his lips, with hers

Mark was half-way through a back-step when Elsa's lips met his, and he stopped, his eyes slowly closed half-way. His left arm batted away her sword rather roughly before curling around her hips and lifting her up gently. He let his sword disspate before his other hand went around Elsa's body and aided in picking her up; he deepened the kiss for a moment before breaking it and letting down on her feet again.

"I suppose...that'll have to count...shall we eat?" He said with an amused tone to his voice as she stared at him, her lips just inches from his.

Elsa nodded; her stomach growled, she hugged him as he spoke and hugged her as well. She smiled, softly asking "You 'struck' me, remember ?" An eye for an eye, or in this case, a kiss for a kiss. It was justified, or was it ? She nodded again. "Yes, can we ? I also want to try and find Mothers journal, the one I currently have mentiuoned some things I cant figure out for the life of me without any others" The only other place a Journal could be hidden is somewhere in the Wolfe District, they had seen it on the map the Piece made in her mothers private study.

Though Elsa nioticed a questioning look. "What is it ?" She had no idea he wondered about the Ring of Eden she had taken from the dead Templar that tried to kill Kristoff in the dining room a few years before.

 **Arendelle**

 **Unknown District**

 **At that same moment**

 **CRACK** It had been five to seven weeks since the fight, the failure of the figtht. And just now the healing began in the most painful way. Nasty howled in pain as her arm was put back into its socket, and properly put backtogether after being broken in six different places during the fight. It took five weeks to get their Father there, and another two weeks to explain their situation to him without getting him pissed off. But thanks to mere mention of a brass dragon and their father had gone off the handle and for a week Nasty was out cold from the intense pain. But now her father was healing her, and none too gently either.

At least her arm was first; it was afterwards when her sister, Taris peeked in at all the screaming clearly confused, "They're here too ?" She said meaning the twins, Sutri and Nasty were to get the money to found their finding of their mother, and also their drunken bum of a brother, Brutus

At Nastys dark look Taris ducked back into the hall of the house and went to her own bedroom. Taris had hoped it was just her and Jr, ah yes, Jr, her brother, they were assigned... more like forced, to work together, even though they hated each others guts.

Draco stood in front of his injured daughters, arms crossed as tendrils came from his body, holding them up and forcing their bones back into place, each one a loud _**CRACK**_ and a scream of pain before he shut that down with a snarl. "The more you scream the less I care; remember? I raised you to win; not to be bested by an old man and a half-dead Silver!" he back-handed Nasty in particular with his last statement, her cheek turning red immediately.

Jr. Looked over Taris' shoulder; for once he was too curious as to what was going on to be pestering her. "Looks like it...Father's pissed too..." he said softly.

Sutri panted currently; her ribs still needed to be healed from her sister slamming into her; and her pelvis from landing hard on the corner of the sewer walk-way. Sweat dripped down her brow before Draco turned to look at her. "A or B?" he asked.

"W-wha-"

"A or B?!"

"What do you me-" She screamed in pain as her pelvis was shoved back together properly, more of a crunching sound radiatin from it.

"You chose C instead...stubborn child." Draco growled softly.

Taris looked sick from the other room and did not answer her brother., at least Brutus wasnt there, they couldnt find him to save their own skin.

Nasty hit the floor in a heap, at least she was healed...for the most part. There was still areas her shadows could work and heal over time. But some critical areas, like her stomach, dead down her breastbone, and across her back her fathers magic could heal. But her arm was the worst of her injuries. She caught her breath and did not reply to her father, out of both love and respect, and fear, she kept her mouth shut as best she could when he turned to her twin, she winced but said nothing as Sutri screamed. Yeah, Papa was pissed for sure

Draco sighed and then slowly, painfully healed each of Sutri's broken ribs; she wasn't as bad as Nasty; hense her being healed second. He then looked to Nasty as she laid on the floor like that. "Stand and show me your chest, child; I need to see the damage that..." He spat to the side. "...Child did to you." he said.

The Claw marks that Mark had left on Nasty's torso went from her right shoulder, across the upper chest in a downward ark, and stopped half-way into her left breast. The claws had dug straight down to the bone in some spots, like her torso and upper ribs above her right breast.

Draco growled lightly at that, the blood had already caked. Tendrils went to work immeidately, filling in the marks and clearing away the blood. "You need rest for two weeks; no arguments. The Shadowlings will bring you food and water; you are to eat what they serve you or go hungry and stay in bed longer as you starve."

Draco gripped her chin roughly and forced her to look him in the eye. "Am I clear?"

As much as she was ashamed to show her father her injuries Nasty did as instructed, she said nothing at first, and stared striaght at her father as he spoke, she knew better then to argue with her father. Hell, she'd much rather argue with her mother in all honesty. For a long moment she did not speak until her father said 'am I clear ?' With her head held in his hand, she couldnt not, but she said truthfully, "Yes Papa. As you say." She was truly ashamed to show her father the wounds that not only Mark gave her, but the hard whack Jarius did too. Plus whatever marks she'd gotten landing in the sewer crap. And the cold, the unbearable cold they had to fight in

Draco grunted. "Cover up and head to bed." he said, releasing her chin before turning to Sutri and. "Anything else you want dear old dad to heal?" He growled; while he was indeed a harbinger of darkness, one couldn't put him past a sadistic dad-joke.

"I know it ain't your mother's kisses; but if SOMEBODY would get off their asses and find her, we wouldn't have this problem!" He knew Jr. and Taris were watching, but didn't turn his head. Draco's eyes narrowed as Sutri gulped.

"Just...normal scrapes, Papa...From sliding on the concrete." Draco rolled his eyes and sighed as he looked while Sutri showed him.

"I never had these problems with Brutus; he either completed his task or didn't come home becase he was drunk." Draco snarled under his breath as he healed Sutri. "One week minimum bedrest with your sister. Same rules apply to eating and drinking. Understand?"

"Intimately, papa."

"Then go; start resting."

When they were mentioned Taris gulped, all but nailing Jr in the ribs she whimpered softly "I think Papa wants you"

"Stuff it stupid if he wants me he wants you too!" it was clear they were in for it, but they couldnt exactly search for Momma when they were told to wait for further orders... or find Brutus,of course mentuion of the drunken bum made Taris wonder briefly where he was

Hearing the orders their father gave their sisters, Taris mumbled, "Soooooo next district to look for mom ?"

"Next district, dun wanna make Dad madder then he is now" Maybe doing their task before killing each other could work out ?

Taris nodded and took all but one step and stopped dead in her tracks because... well, when a dead wolf thing is right at your nose, what do you do ? Sing ? "Lizardshit" Taris mumbledi n Draconian seeing the ghostly wolf. Oh she hated those things! She was freaked out by them!

Draco was standing above the two youngest children and raised an eyebrow. "Don't you have districts to search?" He said. He sighed. "Eat first; then go. Your mother will kill me if I send you out without feeding you first." he said. He snarled at the whispy wolf loudly before narrowing his eyes and furrowing his eyebrows.

"What the hell do you want, Wolf Queen?" He asked the wolf as he walked towards it.

While Ingrid herself did not appear, her words were heard howerver. "I sense power unlike our own. Its strength growing." The wolf itself seemed to speak. Ingrid was back in her tomb, making more undead soldiers. This was going to be fun!

Taris nodded, "Yes!" She squeaked in answer to her fathers question of the searching, "We were just... ahemhmetgr" taris all but shrieked then cleared her throat and spoke again "Yes Papa, We were just about to go begin searching the Talz district, there was a weird explosion out there and we wanted to check it out" Jr however covered her mouth with a hand

"Thank you Papa, we will eat and then go search for clues to Mother's wherebouts!" He said

The whsipy wolf creature seemed to smirk at the two teenager appearing siblings. This was one not exactly happy family but it did the job.

 **Arendelle**

 **Wolfe Manor**

 **Just after lunch**

Mike waited in a Muledeer drawn carrige bus of a sort for Mark to arrive at the expected time. the clock in the kingdom gonged twice. Well, it was two in the afternoon, which meant that Mark was along any moment; the plan was to investigate fiurther why Marks sisters room had been... recently remodeled without knowledge to Mark. and also if anything had been taken

Mike smiled seeing Mark stepping into view. Stepping from the muledeer carrige Mike waved to him as Jarius, the Master Mike had mentioned, also stepped from the carrige. "Ah Master Wolfe! right on time!" Mike called out as Mark neared them. "Master Wolfe I'd like you to meet the Master" Meeting Jarius in person was easier said then done, Jarius gave Kalda a hard look as if to act as if they had never met before holding out a hand to shake with Mark

Kalda would not recieve such a message as Mark smiled and shook Jarius hand again. "Good to see you again, Jarius." he said calmly, leaving Mike corrected, though he took it in stride. Not the first time it's happened apparently. Mark smiled and gestured to the Manor.

"Well...it's not exactly humble but...welcome to my abode, or...well, my Family's abode." He said calmly.

The Outside of the Manor looked as grand now as it did before the incident; which was the same as it did when it was first built. Mark had made sure of that over the course of its restoration.

Jarius smiled and shook Marks hand, Mike kept his mouth shut and like the gentlemans gentleman he went to the door and held it open for both his Master, and the Assassin. Jarius spoke as they walked into the massive Manor."Mike told me everything, I managed to piece together a few clues of my own you may want to hear" Jarius explained, they acended the steps to the second floor landing. it was there that Jarius briefly stopped. "The last time anyone had seen such Kobolds was a generation before your birth. And it was not here in Arendelle either, but west of here, on the Greenland Sea I think it is called. Those two we faced, I think they're those kobolds masters, but I could be wrong." Jarius said, holding up a finger at the words 'could be wrong'

"Now" Jarius continued as they started walking again, stepping around some workmen at the same time. "Mike said the woman you had seen wore silver, with white hair ?" at Marks nod Jarius nodded, "Havent seen her in ages!" Jarius mused

They came upon the place the workmen were setting stacks of timber to rebuild beams and the floorjoists below, having to step around a few groups of workmen busy stacking lumber, pulling up rotting floorboards, twice they passed groups of workmen escorting a squatter or two. There were still windows to replace on the first floor. Jarius remembered the first time he was in that house, As they neared Marions bedroom he saw a brief vision of Mark as a boy, and his younger sister playing tag and running up the hall towards the room they were headed for.

Mark raised an eyebrow at Jarius's proclamation of seeing her in ages. "You've seen the woman I speak of?" He asked as they stopped at the door, or lack thereof, to Marion's room. All the clues were still exactly as they left it; the clean up crew wasn't due for another few hours.

Jarius nodded, "Sure! Even painted a painting for her, taught her to fight too. considering how she acted according to what you saw, yeah, her remembering what I taught to be quick on her feet and ready to improvise when it comes to it. Ah here we are!" Jarius stepped int othe room, taking care to remain away from the rotted floorboards. Mike stood by the door like a bodyguard. Jarius stepped around into the room, for the moment he did not see the rotted matress covering paintings, the rotted rug, broken floor tiles, broken windows and wall, and rotted flooring, instead he saw a woman putting her daughter to sleep in a four poster bed of white and grey.

Out of the blue Jarius asked "If she were here, with us right now, how old would she be ?" He meant Marion, Marks sister, and then there was the letter adressed to Mark. Jarius went to the ruined wall and looked out, whatever ice was left on it was long gone, long once again part of Tiris dress and hair. He chuckled."When I said make an exit I didnt mean it like this Zith" He mumbled to himself Sometimes Xeir Zith really did improvise in battle

Mark looked quizzically at the elder Dragon before shrugging; he wasn't going to try and question the man's memory and knowledge. He knew better. "Strange...but okay." he said calmly. He let him look around the room and watched calmly. He blinked at Jarius' random question though.

"She'd be...23 or so by now...why?" he asked calmly, his stance changing subtly.

For a long moment Jarius was lost in memories. "Mike! Bed!" He called at long last. He turned to Mark as Mike stepped in to move the mattress. "Three people you saw in this room, why this room ?" As the mattress was lifted he saw why, there were two stacks of paintings. All on canvas. And well kept due to their age. Jarius nodded. Bending down he picked up the top most painting. Marks parents on their wedding day. He handed it to Mark and lifted the next one. This one of a infant in his mothers arms. Jarius smiled, he remembered painting it. He went through the other paintings one by one.

But he never found the one painting that was missing. The one of his own mother, Light.

"Three women were in this room. A painting is missing. But which I cannot tell. Though judging by the damage made to the door and wall, they made a hasty exit from unexpected guests." He said standing upright. Mike had carefully taken each painting into the hall

Mark stared at the painting he'd been handed for a good long minute, not saying a word. He walked up to Jarius and stared at the others. One of just him and his sister as children. He and his father, Marion and their father. One with his mother Marion as an infant in her arms. Solo shots of them all. Finally, one of Mark and Marion's father with the gauntlet Mark normally wore on his left arm. Back when he was head of the Wolfe Clan...

Mark sighed and then set the painting down, swallowing hard as he fought back the emotions, memories flooding his mind again before he sighed and put his hands on his hips; he needed a moment. After that moment he sighed and turned to Jarius again. "Whatever they were looking for I guess they found...but I doubt they'd take the painting far...one of the three was dressed as an Assassin; and practically everyone in this branch of the order knows how much this building and everything in it is to me." he said calmly.

"I'm sure it'll turn up soon...for now...I want these hung along the main corridors."

"I think at this moment, it is not who took the painting, but why they took it. Also not where they took it, I feel for now you can trust the judgement of those that took that painting and none of the others in both stacks. After all many if not all of these paintings, so well kept, could be worth a pretty penny" Jarius mused. He saw the pain in Marks eyes, the memories unwanted. "I am sorry. Sooner or later you will have to face those memories head on. Pushing them away only makes them stronger. Come, lets get these hung where they belong and let the workmen to their duties here." Jarius said with a firm clap on Marks left shoulder before gently picking up the painting of Mark holding Marion who was an infant at the time of the painting.

It took about two hours to hang each painting where they belonged, or felt right along the main hall and main living room. but with Jarius and Mike helping, it was soon taken careful and the three men, or rather, two dragons and one man, parted ways, Jarius stepped into the muledeer carriage with Mike following as Mark headed to the castle, he had a date no doubt.

 **Arendelle**

 **Wolfe District**

 **Wolfe Manor**

 **A few hours later**

Finally out of the castle without anyone stopping her Anna went straight to the brothel, she wanted to talk to someone, anyone to get information. Thankfully the girl on duty at the desk upon entry told her thjat who she sought was in the Wolfe District doing work there as part of the rebuilding of the Wolfe Manor. Anna was curious of the Manor as a whole and what the place was and why it was so important and went there. She came across two people on her way

One of them she recgonised right away as Georgina. thje other woman she did not fully see her face. But her eyes glittered as if with magic of some form. A magical woman like her sister maybe ? It didnt matter fully to her how it worked only that it worked out. But as she neared Georgina spoke "Your highness, what brings you to Wolfe Manor ?" Georgina had been taked with cleaning up the yards and planting fresh flowers in the many flower guardens and flowerbeds in the vast yard.

In truth however Mark wanted her there to find more vaults or possible locations of vauit entries. So far they had found one, inside the front main foyer; though Mark knew there were more

The other woman, Marion disguised as Diana, bowed her head to Anna. "Highness." She greeted. It felt...oddly invigorating to be on the grounds of the Wolfe Manor. Whenever she was there, she felt safe; revitalized...Home. She smiled underneath the mask that covered the lower half of her face.

"I'm afraid Master Wolfe won't let anyone in yet, or at least last I heard. But I'm sure that if you asked him he'd let you; you are the Queen's sister after all." She said calmly. And with an added giggle "And we all know how well they get along~"

"Even though they'd not been together since the incident over twenty years ago, she still teased her brother. Heck, they didn't really grow up together and she teased him. The best (or worst for Mark's point of view) part about it was that he didn't know she was there! Though...that was more of a neutral thing, since it was paramount that he not know.

"Have you come to inspect the grounds? Or are you just out and about?" She asked politely.

"I am actually looking for someone" Anna said, "The woman in charge of the Brothel, Elsa was edgy this morning and I wanted to know why, so over lunch I snuck out. I was told the woman was here. So here I am" Anna smiled as she spoke. She seemed calm, but it was also clear she was excited about something important, something so important that she came all the way out of the Castle itself to find out more.

Hence was the value of information. Anna didnt trust the servants with it. For the moment.

"Well" Georgina said after casting a glance to Diana. "I'm not sure of who else is where, we just got here ourselves" A white lie, but partly true as Georgina did just get there, she had no idea how long Diana was there before the two met up for their duties. "I'm not sureif either Mentor would be here ?" She had an idea of who ran the Brothel, but she didnt want tro reveal it. Tiri had made it clear not to mention herself to anyone until Tiri decided to do it herself.

"Though Elsa being edgy... that is a scary thought indeed." Georgina mused thoughtfully, Elsa had saved her, and recruited her, a year after her son had died. "Did Elsa say why ?" Anna shook her head

"Wouldnt go into detail, but I think it concerns Mark, he was edgy too. But I told him not to worry and he brightened up!" Anna said

'Diana' tilted her head at that; Mark on edge? Elsa on edge? The Brothel? "I have ties with the brothel...if I remember correctly Master Wolfe went in for information. Word travels around quick; I heard he didn't find out much." She said calmly before turning her head; the quizical looks on their faces making her bite the inside of her cheek. "What? I don't _work_ as one of the girls. God no. I teach them to steal money while they work; and document any info they find."

Well...she wasn't completely lying.

"I was going to say..." Georgina mused briefly, Anna nodded, she knew that Blackmane had rebuilt the Brothel as an Assassin front.

Anna nodded, "Mark said exactly that, he went for info, but what he got was less then he wanted, more like not what he was wanting ?" Like Anna had mentioned, she did not know the details of the whole meeting Mark had, only that it made Elsa rather edgy about the whole thing, then the news Blackmane dumped on them at breakfast made Mark take a hike outside to clear his head. Of which news Anna detailed what she knew. Finally asking simply, "I was hoping to find Blackmane, or Snowfeather, they might know more then they're letting on." The two Mentors were twins, identical in every way execept clothing.

"Havent seen either of them since last night" Georgina said As she took a seat on a bench near the fountain and statue of Second Wolfe. The statue needed heavy duty cleaning. And soon.

Anna stepped to the statue and looked closely at it, "Who is this guy ?" She asked

"Second Wolfe; the co-founder of Arendelle, and Flowerfist the Fair's closest friend and advisor...Mark's oldest ancestor." Diana said before gesturing to the plaque. She squinted though as she took a step back. TIlting her head she moved to the side; trying to see something that otherwise wasn't there.

"There's ...something beneath the dirt... Georgina...right behind you; well, behind the plaque... can you scrape that dirt and stuff off? I...I think I see something." She was using her eagle-vision of course.

"Huh ?" Georgina said as she relaxed, she stretched, and stoped as she heard a sudden **CLUNK** noise. "What was that ?"

Anna heard it too. However her focus was on Diana as the Assassin moved as she did, "Are you alright ?" She had no idea her sister had the ability to see with the Eagle Vision

Georgina sat back up, as she did so she heard another **CLUNK** and stood as the bench rattled. Did they just find another vault ? Mark had mentioned a whole bunch hidden across Arendelle they were to look for in addition to their normal duties.

Diana narrowed her eyes and stepped back again, onto a bench. "It's...a puzzle..." she said. "Looks like you have to get all the pieces together...feel around, Georgina; see if you can find all of them." After about half an hour of guiding her hands, and then another half hour of fiddling with the out of place sliding stones, they all clicked together and sunk into the statue of Second.

Then there was nothing.

"Well that was disa-" Another click and and a sudden _Swoosh_ of stale air later and Marion was rolling down a set of stairs heading directly under the satue of Second Wolfe while yelling to "Get off this crazy ride!"

"Weirdest puzzle I have ever seen" Anna mumbled, she helped Georgina find each piece on the statue. About thirty minutes later and Georgina was mumbling about solutuins to puzzle.

"Sometimes I sit back and think, or lean on something and thin..." Georgina leaned on the last piece, and as Diana said something Georgina felt something under her hand go CLICK and push in, looking at it she failed to see Diana fall. but then heard her screaming to get off the ride. "The solution presents itself!" She smiled and gave Anna a gentle pat on the shoulder and pointed towards a nearby torch, they might need light. "Come on, lets get Diana off the stairs. I hear an echo"

Anna grabbed the torch and tossed it to Georgina her effortlessly caught it and pretty much hopped into the hole the puzzle formed after Diana, "Cannonball!" She called out as she hopped downwards onto the steps. Anna followed close behind. As they decneded, the fountain reformed above them, leaving them, briefly, in darkness. While up above on the Manor grounds the fountian went back into motion as if nothing happened

Eventually they'd reach the end of the stairs, and Diana had only a few seconds to fix her hood and mask before the two caught up to her. She did so and stood, rubbing at her rear-end; having landed on that the hardest. She leaned back, cracking her back and stretching out a bit before dropping her jaw.

"Whoa..."

The Vault was split up into two huge seconds, three, technically. On one side, were dozens of old beds and bedframes with small walls built around them for privacy. Discarded curtains hung in front of them, most having been pulled down by time. Beyond that was a huge mess-hall and bar stocked with Who knows how old alcohol and food. On the other side of the vault was racks upon racks of armor, swords, axes, spears, harpoons, knives, clothing, and even a stray flintlock pistol or two. There were cannons further down, huge cannons on wheels.

"What was this place?" She asked. As she stepped forward, the walls began to light up a bright, vibrant blue.

"Uh... Wow" Anna said upon seeing the room the stairs landed in.

"Guess we dont need the torch" Georgina said staring at the blue lit walls, what lit this place ?

Anna stepped over to the weapons rack filled with knives and axes, aside from a thick layer of dust that she blew off the metal shined bright and new. "These are new. Or at least, never used, I dont see any rust on them" She said.

Georgina's eyes went to the deacades old, yet still sealed alcohol, oh man how she wanted to have some, but no, she promised herself she'd stop drinking, or at least cut back on her drinking habits. Drunken assassins were never a good thing.

"Looks like something out of the castle barracks the troops stay in" Anna said pointing out the beds, steel frames that lacked proper bed supplies, the matteresses rotted out with disuse, the weapons racks nearby the beds seemed to assign each bed a weapon set of a sort.

Georgina picked up a sword from the floor, it glimmered a pale silver under the dust, "If it is a barracks, who stayed here ?"

Trailing her finger across a dusty table at the eating area Diana shrugged. "I don't know...but if you keep an army down here, or at least a batallion...how do they answer the Call to Arms?"

It was with that phrase that another hiss of stale air erupted as a square of glowing light lit up the room from the wall behind the bar-counter in between the racks of alcohol and food respectively. Diana stared softly before looking to the other women with her, nodding her head towards it.

She lifted the entrance to the bar the hinges surprisingly in good condition dispite their disuse. Gesturing for the other two to help her, she began to push against the wall; even with the other two, it didn't budge.

"Maybe there's another phrase ?" She asked, scratching the back of her head.

"Like what ?" the hinges were recently oiled, or made of a metal that was designed that manner exactly. But why ? "You already said Call to Arms, what next ? Taps ? Whoa!" the wall moved, nearly sending Georgina to the dusty floor as Anna started sneezing from the kicked up dust. Man was it hard to see. The door, if that is what it was, locked... Ok, so, Call to Arms unlocked it, what opened it ?

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Elsa's bedroom-Castle vaults**

 **With a vist to the Telo district**

 **At at that same moment**

Mark walked down the corridor and stopped at Elsa's door, knocking on it and opening the door with a small smile. Though behind the smile he was thinking one thing: " _Please don't be naked_." he wasn't sure if he was ready to see that yet. He entered Elsa's bedroom and lowered his hood. "Elsa?" he called out calmly.

Thankfully Mark did not have to worry of Elsa not wearing anything, lately her ice formed her clothing without her even thinking about it, of course her dress and sheer cape were still red, and daily seemingly getting darker, but it sparkled beautifully in the light. At that moment, Elsa was at her desk, reading through her mothers journal, trying to find the information in it, within reach was her mothers Piece of Eden that had been hidden in her mothers private study. Elsa was looking for something. Something that had been nagging at her for some time "Over here, Mark" She called as Mark stepped in after nocking, always the gentleman!

Placing a hand on her shoulder, Mark gently trailed his fingertips across her upper back before sitting on the edge of her desk. "Any clues yet?" He asked her while he gazed at the journal, his fingers playing the her hair gently, idly. He didn't even notice he was doing it. His eyes scanned the page out of habit, and there was a small smile across his lips.

Elsa smiled and briefly shivered at his touched before showing him the page. "Mother wrote that she named a ship, the Whitesparrow, before she and Father left for Carona when I was younger." She sighed, "I looked through the ship legders on each vessel in the navy. None of them are named Whitesparrow. Mother also mentioned the other journals too. So I got the piece to try and pinpoint the other journals, I think I found one not far from Wolfe Manor" She said, saying nothing of him playing with her hair, for once she didnt braid it, She looked to him. "What is it ?" She sawsomething of unwanted pain in his stature. He was oddly calmer then normal

He tilted his head softly before smiling. The Wolfe Manor; of course there'd be one nearby. What intrigued him was the name. Whitesparrow. The Assassins named their ships with the word sparrow...How...His eyes narrowed. Idly he wondered what kind of ship it was, though he reasoned it probably wasn't very impressive since he'd not heard of it or seen it by now. Though...with the plans and papers not easilly found, he could be wrong. He drew his hand away from her hair and patted her shoulder.

"Shall we go find it then?" He asked, smiling. At her question he frowned a bit.

"It... Nothing really, just some old memories resurfacing." he said. He patted her back with a smile and leaned in to kiss her forehead before standing. "Let's go."

Elsa smiled and nodded, "One of the history books noted construction of a ship, saying all sorts of runes went into the construction. Mother named the ship. but it was never used" She said, she stood up then. "Ready to hunt for a journal ?" She had no idea how hard searching for it would be, only they'd be on rooftops and doing a lot of climbing. After all they had to see the area the book could be in and see if there was anything under it.

Elsa blushed a brief second when he kissed her forehead. It was something her mother did nightly not scared of her magic either. Hopefully finding her mothers hidden journals could help her close the gap, slowly let the feeling, the need of wanting her mother, fade into memory. But, the more she thought about it, the more she wanted her mother there. Elsa did not want to be Queen, it was too much work.

Sadly their first stop was a tavern called, The Broken Arm, where it might have been a bit too seedy even for Mark to find information in. The Broken Arm when compared to Roughwater Tavern or even The Mended Trumpet in the Wolfe District, was reputable, but the Broken Arm was reputeable in the sense of disreputable. The customers there had a rough hewn respectablity, sure they might murder each other in an easygoing way, as if between equals. But they wouldnt do it vindictively, hell a _child_ could go in for some lemonade and all he'd get is a whack in the head for his recently expanded vocabulary. And when he was sure no Templars were around the landlord even put fresh meat on the bar.

But what none were expecting at that day or time, especially at the Broken Arm. Was the Queen herself, and her now publicly known bodyguard. Known in the kingdom as the Jade Assassin. Though the higher ranking Templars knew Mark as his trademark stance, The Scorpion.

Having put up his hood before leaving the Palace, and summoned his armor and sword to his person, Mark opened the door to the tavern and waved away the eyes of the people who stared longer than he wanted to. "Welcome, my Queen, to the most wretched hive of scum and villainy in the kingdom." He said softly so only she could hear. There were already a few patrons passed out upon the counter, which Mark frowned at, but ignored for the sake of keeping an eye on the Queen.

Light knows what these men would do to her if they could.

"Barkeep! Your finest ale for me, and a smooth wine for your Queen." Mark said as he walked up to the counter, shoving an unconscious patron off of his stool to take his spot. The man plopped onto the floor and continued to lay there, only now he was snoring.

The keeper glanced at Mark briefly before nodding, yeah he could do that. He also recognised him, at least, his eyes. Where had he seen Eyes like _that ?_ Finally it clicked, "It cant be!" the barkeep, and owner of the tavern said all but hopping the bar and taking Mark into a bearhug. "Dont tell me the son of Marcus is alive and well!" Clearly the man was not as in the know as they had hoped. But he remembered Mark ? Elsa just raised an eyebrow towards the sleeping drunk on the floor, Roughwater she had been too, Mended Trumpet a few times as well.

The barkeep nodded at Marks reqeust again, "Yes, yes! Anything for the son of Marcus, Ah! Your Highness! I must apologise profusely as I do not have any wines, but I do have a stout ale perhap ?" Little did either Mark or the Barkeep know, Elsa was not one to hold her alchol well

"It is alright" Elsa said at long last as Mark helped her sit at the bar, she glanced to Mark, they could trust this guy ? It turned out they actually could, the barkeepwas actually related as a distant presumed dead relative of Marks mother. His uncle.

His uncle, named Arm. Who owned a tavern known for its brutality and nightly barfights

"Uncle Arm. Good to see you again." He said as he sat on the barstool. "Good to see you don't share the same namesake as your bar." he said, rapping his claws on the counter gently as the man put the ale in front of Mark.

Glancing to Elsa as he drank, he set the mug down and leaned forward. "We're looking for something; perhaps you could help us find it?" He asked calmly.

Arm smiled, Setting a smaller glass of ale, the really weak yet still stout ale, nothing to get Elsa loaded on, at least, right away. "Certainly, what can I do for you Nephew ?" The last Arm had seen of Mark was when the painting was done, the painting of Mark holding his infant sister in his arms. "I can give directions, information, items, black market access, but I cant do assassinations of political means or fence paintings. if your mother were here she'd break my arm for trying either one. However depending on the painting I can point you to somebody." He meant a fellow named Jarius in the Scalia District

Arm set the jar aside and looked to Mark and Elsa. "So, what do you need ?"

Elsa glanced at Mark before producing the map. "Do you know if there is anything buried or recently removed from this location ? A book or small chest of some kind ?" Arm looked the map over carefully.

Mark was quiet for the most part as he drank his ale, but he kept his eyes dead on Arm and his facial expressions and body language. Though it's been years, Mark knew there was a reason why he wasn't allowed near the Wolfe Manor for so long. Arm could have easilly started the restoration immediately after the incident, but he didn't; either out of choice or because Mark's father, or his mother, more likely, had banned him from the premisis.

Mark's eyes narrowed. "And I wouldn't bother trying to fool anyone, Uncle. I'll be able to tell." He said calmly as he set the mug down and wiped his face a bit.

"Relax, Mom and I had a falling out shortly after Marion was born. Charri and I thought up a means for me to still be around but dead" Arm went on to explain, in brief, how he and Charity had faked his death in a barrom brawl, of which the original owner had been slain. Arm became the owner of the Broken Arm Tavern, which then was originally called, Bent Fist Pub. He could be close to his sister and her children too, but also out of sight.

"Weekly Charri and I'd meet up for lunch somewhere in Arendelle at random, catch up on life, then go our seperate ways for a week, then all of a a sudden Charri shows up, here, where you are seated now, in the tavern, with her a girl of about three or so in her arms, the child is crying a river, Charri's got a look of horror on her face, wont tell me a thing whatsoever and only wants out of Arendelle fast as possible. What do you expect me to do there ?" Arm smiled, "I did the only thing I could do. Get my sister and her daughter to safety." He sobered up a bit. his face faded from its bright smile. "That was the last I saw her..." He rubbed his chin a bit

Finally after a moment of thought, Arm nodded. "Yes, I remember, a young woman about your age m'Lady, She came in here, she had a book, a chest actually containing a book in it, she needed a place to hide it she told me. 'I have sources who say I can trust you with my life' she says to me. 'Yes madam, your sources are correct' says I, 'Good, there are men following me, unsavery men. they may wish to do me harm.' Says she, 'Allow me,' Says I as I lead her to the kitchen before the men followed her in, I called for a round on the house, everyone in here at the time swarmed the bar, and before anyone knew what happened, a barfight occured, it kept the men busy long enough for the lady to make her escape in safety."

"Why tell us this ?" Elsa asked.

Arm didnt smile, he merely nodded towards the doorway. "Because those are the men in question." He said. a full troop of Templar soldiers had arrived while he was explaining how they could trust him. Arm put his elbows on the countertop and bent close to Mark and Elsa. "The woman that came in here, it was shortly after Charri came to me for passage out of Arendelle. She carried herself like a royal. Correct me if I am wrong, but, was your mother dark haired with hazel eyes and liked dark dresses ?" Elsa stared at him.

"Mother came here to you for help ?" was all she asked. It was all she could ask.. She went through her memory carefully, Remembering then that her mother did mention a man that was trustworthy named Arn, not Arm. Maybe she had intentionally miswrote his name in her journal ?

Mark didn't turn his head as Arm gestured to the Templars who entered. However they noticed him. A faint murmering among them all as they began to immediately formulate an attack plan. Mark smiled at what he heard, and took one last swig of his ale, leaving a small bit of ale left. "Care for some liquid courage, my queen?" he asked her quietly.

The Templars were huddled together around a table, some standing, some sitting while they talked, occasionally shooting glances to Mark and Elsa. "The fuck is he doing here?"

"Well...aren't we close to his house?"

"Can't we just go fuck that up? I mean why do we have to be near him?"

"Pissing yourself won't help any, grow a pair."

Their commander silenced them all with a knock on the table. "Listen...when I give the signal we'll all char-" _Thunk!_ Mark's mug of ale bounced off his helmet.

"Whoops; didn't see you there...but then again...who pays attention to shit anymore?" Mark asked as he stood, his fingers hooking the stool he sat on and lifting it slowly before resting it on his shoulder while he faced the Templars. "How's about we do this nice and Adult like? No blades, no guns." Mark said as he flicked his hand out, a throwing knife darting for one Templar's hands, bouncing off of the pistol he was pulling off and scaring him enough to drop the gun; making it misfire and shoot his comrade in the foot.

Mark tilted his head. "That works too." he said before another shot rang out and hit him square in the chest, bouncing off his armor and falling to the floor. Mark watched as the bullet fell and he sighed. "Now you fucked up." He said before one Templar charged him with a yell. Mark merely slammed the stool across the man's face, breaking the wooden stool in the process, as well as the man's skull.

"That it?"

When the first shot rang out Elsa's first thought was to defend herself, she raised some ice, but it wasnt needed. Or rather it was. A third shot rang out, but it wasnt the normal BANG or POW or CRACK of a gun going off. not even a simple PSST of a silincer, instead of such noises it was a simple, TWANG. The sound a crossbow makes. Oddly the bolt, traveling about the third of a speed of a bullet at best, charoomed off Elsa's ice shield and slammed dead into the mug of a Templar, the guy, in his death throes, thrashed and slammed into another complete stranger and bar patron, who in turn took his plate and broke it over another guy, within half a minute everyone in the bar was gonna leave with more then a few teeth and brain cells missing. Everyone was in on it for something, get out, away, or even.

Everyone, that is, execept Arm, before he could grab Mark however he did manage to duck for safety, and also nail the guy that tried to kill the queen, another Templar, with a well aimed butchers knife to the groin. But there was little else he could do as Elsa swung into action as a Templar tried to grab her, she nailed the man with her bare foot dead between the legs, the sudden pained shriek of the man sinking to the ground reaching for the jewelsack made fourty seven pairs of eyes water in brief sympathy before going back at it

Arm reached out and pulled Elsa behind the counter, they ducked when a stool went sailing in their direction as Mark got busy with the Templar patrol."When your mother was here I let her out through the kitchen, I saw her go out of the door to the left. She gave me this before she left and hoped someone who followed instructions found me and there for this. Remember, through the backdoor, to the left, hopefully what your mother carried can be found. Good luck!"

Arm stood up, "Oy! DRINKS ON THE HOUSE!" he screamed out, half the fighters ran for the bar, giving Mark the perfect time to get out as most of the Templar squad were trashed by then. Not many of the men in the place liked the way the Templars were looking at the queen to begin with and some of them decided to take their frustrations out on the Templars, literally, two Templars went down like sacks of salt

Mark had a Templar by the throat, his claws having dug in when Arm interfered. He let go of his bleeding opponent and hopped over the crowd of people crowding the bar, playing a tricky game of drunken leapfrog with them before he rolled to his feet out the bar and into the kitchen with Elsa. "Pity, I was having fun." he said calmly before wiping the blood off of his claws on a towel. "Now then...where to?" he asked calmly.

Of course the first words out of Elsas mouth were "I like your family; its fun!" That of course was an understatement, it was insane. She pulled out the item Arm had given her, it was from her mother, it had her mothers crest on it."Arm gave me this. Said that when Mother left here, she took a left out that door. and then she gave him this before she left." Elsa opened the cloth bag and pulled out a key of odd make. It looked like it plugged into the end of abox or the like

Mark shrugged. "Been a while since I seen the rest of them." he said simply before looking at the key. "Must go to the box..." he said before looking around, eyes flashing bronze as he used his eagle vision to search the area. "You see anything? Remember to look beyond." he said before he started to climb the wall next to them.

Once they were on the rooftop Elsa did as instructed, A few bricks seemed to shine brighter then therest. She blinked, Somehow she saw her mother putting something there. At the back edge of the rooftop of the Broken Arm Tavern, some tiles looked moved. She pointed, "There, There's something there" Elsa said. A moment later and they had a chest no larger then a loaf of bread, it was still sealed. A minute more and they had it unlocked. Elsa brushed the dust off the journal, her mothers crest glittered as if newly painted. her hands trembled as she gently opened the book

Her heart stopped when her eyes rested on the title of the first entry.

It was adressed not to her, but to "a Wolfe" As if her mother hoped one from the Wolfe Clan where to find the journal. After all, the journal mentioned another vault.

Mark smiled. "Very good." he praised her as he followed her to the location. He let his eyes rest for a second before opening them, his eagle vision disipating as he looked at the journal. He was silent for a second as she opened it, but then his hand slowly went into her vision; open and waiting. He was a Wolfe...the only officially known Wolfe in Arendelle. It was adressed to him.

Without thinking it, she handed the journal to him. "I think it is for you" Elsa said, "Its mothers writing. but, addressed to 'A Wolfe' Like, you or, your mother or father or someone, surely not Snowfeather right ?" It was true, Snowfeather's last name was Elisar. So it couldnt be her. and Mark _did_ have a sister at one point when living in Arendelle.

The good news was, there was yet _another_ vault in Arendelle, however it was not located in any common district. No, it was someplace quiet public. Yet completely unassuming.

The bad news was, Elsa was drunk. It didnt take much, infact it took nothing whatsoever to get her loaded. There was an incch of snow, not cold, just fluffy stuff like dandruff. all around them.

The confusing news was; What was a Whitesparrow ?

Mark closed the book and was quiet for a bit, wiping some snow off of his shoulder before looking to Elsa as she flopped onto her side giggling. He rolled his eyes. Poor girl couldn't handle her liquer. There was no time to waste though. He'd get her sobered up quick then decipher the location of the vault while she rested. He put the book in one of many pockets and then picked up Elsa over his shoulder fire-man style. He opened a transport array on the ground behind him, and simply stepped back, falling into the array.

 **Merely a second later**

 **Elsa's bedroom**

 **Arendelle Palace**

Mark appeared with a hop in the center of the room, Elsa on his shoulder still before he sort of let her flop onto her bed. Praying she was still conscious enough to keep her clothing on, he rung one of the bells for Kai. When the man arrived, Mark insisted upon a cup of black coffee to sober up Elsa, and soon it was brought. "I need you to cooperate with me here." He said to Elsa as he managed to get her to drink.

Drunk, and not for the first time. Elsa was infact easier to make sober, just the mere smell of coffee... and salt... But coffee worked just as good. After a few moments of getting sobered up by Mark she realised they were not on the rooftop anymore. And she was on her bed ? "How did I get here ?" She asked, then seeing Mark holding a coffee mug with Kai nearby making sure everything was alright, Elsa said "Why are we in my room ? Ohh... my head" her hands went to her head. "What did I drink ?"

Kai merely smiled, with a slight bow he said "Master Wolfe rang for me when he required my aid concerning yourself current state Madam." he said. "Given this has happened before I came prepared." By that point Elsa had drunk down the coffee completely, it seemed to wake her mind up a bit more properly.

"Well that is good I guess. Why my room though ?" She asked. she looked to Mark. "No, let me guess, it was the safest place you could think of at short notice. right ?"

Mark shook his head. "This is close to where the vault is...I need a few more minutes to decipher it...mind if I use your desk?" he asked, already sitting at it and drawing on a map he'd withdrawn from one of his pockets. There were multiple scribbles on there, X's where there confirmed vaults, circles where there were suspected ones, and a question mark here or there indicating an anomoly that Mark had noticed in his searches. One was over the statue of Second, inside of a circle.

It only took a few minutes of manic muttering to himself as Mark's fingers drew across the page before he circled the fountain in the Palace Courtyard. "That's where it should be...you may need to unfreeze it when we get there." he said calmly, tapping his clawed finger on the map.

Elsa nodded, thankfully for both her and Mark, she was not the type to remove clothing when drunk.. instead it snowed, a lot. She finished the coffee and handed the mug to Kai, thanking him she dismissed him, though she did request towels prepared in her bathroom as well as the guest bathroom for Mark. Something nagged at her to be ready.

She got up off the bed and briefly unsteady she found her balance and went over to Mark at her desk. she saw the circle over the statue location, with a questuion mark over it. "Isnt that the statue at your house ?" Puplic place location. When he pointed out the Icerink Courtyard fountain she wondered what he meant, seeing the question mark. Well it was pretty public. She nodded. "Ok, shall we ?"

It was then she heard a odd grumbling noise and felt a slight rumble underfoot, not from Mark or anything else, it was as if something turned on ? "You feel that ?"

Mark looked aorund as he heard the rumbling as well. "Yes... let's go." He said, and he stood. He set another transport array and stepped through it, appearing in the ice rink court yard, Elsa appearing shortly after. He had lowered his hood by now, and was shooing away birds as he circled the courtyard with his Eagle Vision, mutterint to himself. He took a glance at his map, squinted, then readjusted his position before nodding, and proceeding with his manic circling of the courtyard looking for a clue.

After a few minutes he found it, five finger holes on a pillar opposite of the main door of the Palace. "So then...I suppose the stairs to the palace drop down?" he muttered to himself as he scraped away the ice easilly enough, and inserted his left hand's figners into the holes, with his gauntlet on of course. He rotated his arm slowly, the spot where the finger-holes was rotating with him before locking in place at a ninety degree angle.

A loud hiss erupted from the fountain, but the ice prevented it from moving. That and Ulnaus. After shooing away the bird, Mark looked to Elsa, and nodded to the fountatin, an unspoken request to unfreeze it.

Elsa nodded, hearing gears working, and seeing Ulnaus freak out when shooed away, she went up to the fountain and gently touched it, some of the soldiers, Assassin's all of them, stopped and looked Marks way when he wandered the rink muttering like a madman. Honestly even Elsa had to smile at what she saw of what Mark was doing and how he was acting.

She touched her hand to the ice, it receeded from Ulnaus perch point downwards, as if being sucked into her hand directly. It cracked and broke apart, shrinking and collapsing into her hand, very quickly reforming into a model of her ice palace. though bigger then the one Mark had seen when she was sneaking behind him that one night a year or so before.

The ice receeded, Ulanus witrhout his perch slammed into the fountain water below as the water flowed freely, and began to drain ?

What the hell ?

The fountain stopped doing its work as the water ceased and was drained away to somewhere. Suddenly a loud HISS was heard as cracks appeared and then sudden stairs formed out of the smooth bottom of the fountain. Down into darkness. though Elsa could have sworn there was light down below, the sounds of machinery grinding was heard much louder

Mark smirked as the hiss echoed throughout the air. He stared directly at the other soldiers, and motioned for them to stay put and say nothing. They all snapped to attention, and nodded before Mark released the trigger in the wall,and it began to slowly slide back into place. He walked over to the fountain and without hesitation, hopped in and began down the stairs, eyes blazing bronze the whole time to make up for the lack of light. His armor glowed slightly as well, and he had no doubt Elsa was right behind him. He kept one hand against the wall of the spiral staircase as it headed straight down beneath the darkest dungeons of the palace.

Soon the wall broke away and was replaced by a intricately carved stone railing. Light flooded the area as Mark then rushed down the rest of the stairs, giggling like a school-girl.

A massive cavern met their eyes; lit up by the same lights Marion and co. found earlier along the walls and ceilings. Bar counters, weapon racks, shops, and entire forges and armories were strewn about the cavern with its arching ceiling. In the center of it all was a massive pool of water that stopped at the far wall, which, based on the roaring outside, led to the Fjord's of Arendelle. In the pool? Mark dropped to his knees in awe.

The Largest wooden ship ever built by any navy be it American, Britsh, etc. The largest wooden ship in the world, and the largest, most powerful ship in the Arendellian navy: A Man O' War with five rows of cannons not including the main deck guns. Chase cannons and morters aligned her bow and Stern. Massive masts holding great sails stood proud and unwavering. She was painted in Arendelle's royal colors with a ring of Bronze running straight through the middle. The Wolfe's had a hand in this...this was a Wolfe Vault. On the Stern above the windows of the Captains cabin, in huge, bold, Bronze letters, lay the name:

 **WHITESPARROW**

"She's gorgeous." Mark bit his bottom lip softly before standing. "Isn't she gorgeous?" He asked; talking to himself, forgetting that Elsa was there. "She's got to have...easilly..." he counted softly. "...500 guns...no...530..." he went closer, and looked harder. "And all 12 pounders...My god..."

As the stairs opened into a massiuve cavern Elsa stopped and stared as Mark went closer to the ship. it was the largest vessel Elsa had ever seen in her life. Already she felt its power and energy. the runework; she felt the raw energy that went into the runework, it briefly made her sick, it was as if the ship was protecting itself from the elements. Curious she flicked out her wrist then, on the mainmast the largest sail unfurled through her magic.

Her heart pounded at what appeared.

There, adorned with the Arendelle colors, her mothers colors, was her mothers crest, but that was not all, a massive bronze A like symbol, that of the Assassin Order of Arendelle, was under her mothers crest. A tear slid from her eye. Her mother's last ship.

She heard vioices however, that was not good ? Wait, why did the voices sound female ?

 **Arendelle Vaults**

 **On the other side of the Locked Door**

 **At that same moment**

There came a soft rumble. "Did you hear something ?" Anna asked

Niether of the others with her heard her as she spoke. Georgina was trying other commands, finally at her wits end she said "OK, we tried everything from Call to Arms to Taps and nothing worked. What have we not tried ? Roll Call ? To stations ?" WHOA!" At the words "to Stations" the door they were trying to open dropped flat without a sound, sending Gorgina sprawling into a long hallway four men wide, light was seen further down it.

All three women stared. Finally Anna spoke. "Ok... so... who wants to go down the creepy hallway first ?" they all looked into it, finally Anna assked "Do I hear water ?"

Marion popped up. "I hear voices..." she said, her natural curiosity getting the better of her as she scurried down the hallway quickly. This turned out to be a mistake as a throwing knife whizzed right past her nose and lodged itself into the wall beside her as she stopped just in time to see the massive warship. "Who-what the fuck!?" She fell on her ass before looking to Mark, who had thrown the knife as soon as he heard something out of reflex.

Restraining her urge to scream at Mark for that she shook her head. "Master Wolfe!" she stood, under the guise of Diana again.

"What are you doing here, Diana? How...where was the other entrance? The statue of Second Wolfe? How'd you undo the lock? Start speaking." Mark was confused and then very rapid fire with his questions, advancing towards her before the main mast sail dropped and he turned to look. His jaw dropped again and he shifted his attention once more to the massive ship as a gangplank lowered while Elsa's hand lowered. He nudged it before stepping on it and walking up the gangplank to the ship's main deck.

It wasn't until then that the power of the runes hit him, and he grabbed at his stomach uncomfortably. Diana's hand went to her mouth as the runes made her sick to her stomach before she swallowed it back down.

The sheer sight of the vessel was enough to make Georgina pass clean out. Which she did upon sight of the massive vessel, her eyes rolled into her head and she hit the dock, hard.

Anna simply stared at the name. Saying what was on pretty much everyones mind as she pointed at the massive warship dumbly saying "Boat" Then she saw their mothers crest, "Is that ?'"

"It is" Elsa said stepping onto the ship, parts of it seemed to light up at her mere touch. there was no dust on it whatsoever. As if the runes kept it clean. The air was fresh as if it were on the fjords at the docks outside. but Elsa knew in her heart the Port and even the Royal Dock itself ewas too small to even let this massive vessel drop anchor anywhere near the docks or Port districts

It was then that Elsa noticed Diana when Anna noticed Mark's grabbing for his stomach. the runes seemed to recognise the royal family, and briefly didnt recognise Mark due to his armor. but as brief as it was, it recognised Diana as a Wolfe and recceeded in power towards her, Georgina it recognised as a family friend apparently, some of the runes were written by her. Yet the poor Assassin never knew what those runes were gonna be used for, or on for that matter.

Anna went right to Marks side and helped him to the rail, at the last second she turned aside as Mark emptied his stomach into the water below before he felt better. Maybe without his armor active when he got on the vessel it would not make him so ill ? "Are you alright ?"

At that same moment Elsa was helping Diana stand and asking the same question as Georgina slowly woke up.

"Well... we know what opens that door" Anna mumbled...

Uh oh, what door ?

Mark's armor vanished as he hurled over the side, the runes actually repelling it all into the water and not letting a single drop onto the wood or paint. He smiled, immediately feeling better. He put a hand gently on Anna's shoulder, and smiled as he wiped his lips. "Fine...hungry now, but fine." He said calmly with a blink and a shake of his head.

His eyes narrowed however at 'Diana'. Why wasn't she sick? She wasn't a friend of the royal family nor was she a Wolfe. "Why aren't you sick?" he called out; having noticed the trend quickly. His eyes began to slowly glow a mixture of Bronze and Silver as Kalda involved himself, stirring from the runes of the Whitesparrow. But all he saw was white light. He let out a huff; a feral huff before his eyes returned to normal and he turned away from her, setting about to explore the ship, running his hand along the railing, the helm, the cannons. He looked to Anna with a smirk before opening the captain's quarters, his gauntlet having stayed on his body when his armor vanished, his gauntlet providing him with acess to wherever he wanted apparently.

Anna could tell something was wrong by the way Mark reacted, his eyes were oddly natural, but that huiff ? She shook it off and with Mark explored the rest of the ship while Elsa tended to Diana and Georgina who sat up, rubbed her eyes, and stared at the ship. She felt the protective power of the runes, many of which she had written years before as part of a contract for someone. She was never given the name, but she could feel the protective rune power clearly, it recognised her.

She felt safe.

Elsa turned to Diana, "You sure you are OK ?" Diana looked ready to throw up just like Mark had, but she didnt, why ? Wait, Georgina passed out, Elsa just felt safer then normal, and Anna... it didnt even seem to phase Anna the emense power of the countless Runes Elsa then saw. On the edges of the cannoade covers were little marks and runes. Protective shielding runes, perserving runes, and she sxaw at the edges of the sail she had unfurled with her magic, speed runes ? perhaps aid runes ?

Inside the Whitesparrow's captains cabin was locked. Only the front meeting room was accessible until Anna tried the door, it opened without a problem. Well that made sense. the protective runes seemed to recognise through bloodline that Anna was aollowed to open the captain cabin doorway, while the gauntlet only went so far.. the room was massive and reminded Anna of her own bedroom. Fully furnished, bed, bathroom, dresser, wardrom you name it it was there. there was also two cannons at the back looking sternwards. And there the runes of protectiveness were strongest.

Diana nodded, shaking her head softly. "Y-yea I'm alright...I just need a minute to sit...there a chair anywhere?" She asked calmly; upon finding one, or something to sit and lean against she plopped down quite heavily, and then gestured to Elsa to go explore the ship. "I'll be fine, your Majesty, go have fun."

Mark followed Anna into the actual cabin for the Captain. He smiled and looked around. "Wow...this is beautiful...they didn't leave a single thing out..." he said, mostly to himself. "I wonder...if only you could access this room...does that mean that the Captain has to be one of the Royal Family? Or...would the ship recognize those given permission to serve upon her?" Mark asked calmly. There was a great book through another door; a private library; on a ship. Marvelous. He immediately went over to the book; it was a chronical of most of Arendelle's history. He'd read a brief history...but this was something different. He'd have to come back for sure and read more.

One of the history sections the book was actually opened to was the christening of the ship, the Whitesparrow. And her proposed crew, the proposed captain at the time was intended to be Queen idun herself, hence her crest upon the mainsail itself instead of a flag. A full crew of three hundred men and women were to crew the vessel. Each man and woman crosstrained in their skills. if one man was wounded, say the cook, everyone else knew how to cook so anyone could step in to cover while the cook healed.

"I'm not sure, I think so, I mean if I could open it, so can Elsa. But, this is like my bedroom ? But on a boat. who would build such a thing. Its like Mother designed it" Idun had indeded had a strong part of the production of the vessel itself. the colors of the vessel were not the normal colors one would find on a ship either. In todays standards, it'd be a lawbreaker pure and simple, at least maritime law.

Elsa stepped into the room and stopped, "This ship is incredible." She breathed softly, her voice though echoed in the room however. It felt so safe in there, like her own bed. Anna went to the windows to the stern, looking out at the huge wall not far away.

"For a ship so big. How does it leave this place ? I dont see any fjords or anything to get to from here" Anna said. She had a point. But it idid/i sound like a waterfall outside. though the castle itselfr was built on an island up high, the dungeons right below it in three levels.

Outside the ship Georgina finally got her brain working. Then she saw the knife, the bronze and gray knife Mark had thrown, at his sister, yet... Georgina wondered why Diana was pulling it so smoothly from the ... white marbled wall... what the fuck ? Georgina got to her feet and went to the wall, light glowed off its surface, the wall location itself shifted color as she inspected it to a dull gray. Strange designs floated, like a hologram in London just off the wall surface. it detailed things like weather, time, and otherwise, all in Arendelle Runes too, the thing was, it was all written in _eons old Kudzul!_ Georgina then went to her friend's side as the knife was removed from the wall. a hair from nailing Diana in the nose dead on. "Are you alright ?"

Diana pulled the knife from the grey rockwall as it pulsed with life, "Yeah, I'm alright." She said softly; steamed beyond measure at her brother for nearly taking her out with a _knife_ , a cowards way for sure!

"Best keep it between us, when Mark asks, we were under orders, his orders, to find this vault anyhow to begin with." Georgina said, Diana nodded spotting Mark on the main deck of the massive vessel, "He's coming this way isnt he ?" Georgina asked as Diana watched Mark stalk down the gangplank looking directly at them

"And giving us the stink-eye too" Diana murmured softly before holding the weapon hilt first for Mark to take as he stepped up to the two, Georgina smirked as she heard Marks thudding boots on the dock and steel decking before turning towards him as he came up to them, her smirk faded as she turned to look his way, he did not look happy either; possibly because Diana did not get ill like he had ?

First words out of Marks mouth were directly to Diana "Alright, out with it, you're not ill, you didnt upchuck" Mark said to her as he briefly looked to the knife in her hand, tempted right then and there to slit her throat with it, but something, not even Kalda could sense it, kept him from even thinking evil towards Diana, after all, he and Elsa had saved her life the months before. "Well, out with it woman, whats making you not ill but me upchucking like fuck ?" Yeah Mark was mad.

"We were following your orders Master Wolfe" Georgina spoke up as Mark gently took the knife from Diana before she could say anything witty to further anger Mark. it sparkled between them briefly, he never saw her face, her eyes seemed to glitter however. Almost a diamond blue. Mark shook it off mentally as he turned to Georgina nodding. it was his orders to find any more vaults. "Under Second as assumed was indeed a vault entry point. as ordered we found the puzzle, Diana aided us. As you know some of us dont have easy access to Eagle Vision like yourself, Diana however does, not as strong as yourself mind, but strong enough to help us figure out the puzzle, Princess Anna was looking for the woman who made you edgey to try and get more information from them that you sought but didnt get this morning"

Mark nodded, "I see, very well, you found the vault as ordered, good. Anything else ?" Mark looked to Diana, expecting her to speak, "What is inside ? What is the puzzle ? Command words ?"

"The puzzle is the statue itself" Diana replied calmly, she stood ramrod still at her brothers penetrating gaze, oh how she wanted to tackle the man in a tight hug right then and there. but no as she had to fake it. She hated lying to her brother, but for the moment it was justified, but only so far. "Like Georgina said, Princess Anna joined us while looking for the Mistress of the Brothel to try and get more information to help you and Elsa, She said you were both edgey this morning and she wanted to help you guys out."

Mark smiled, Yes, Anna was a good soul, if she wanted to help them out, then so be it, besides, who was he to order her or Elsa around anyhow ? "Alright, anything else ? Whats in the vault, and command words to activate anything ?"

Diana nodded, "Yes, The vault looks to have barracks for a small platoon or a half legion of soldiers, most likely sailers, each bed has a desk next to it, like a hotel room, two large bathrooms as well." Diana explained what they found in the room. there were enough triple bunk beds in the room, each had a desk level with it as well, all anchored to the walls, no mattreeses. Yet it looked ready to move in the soldiers when required. "There was also a bar, which opened to a door, the words "Call To Arms" unlocked it, but the words "Roll Call" opened it into this hallway to here."

Mark nodded, good, it was good, they did as he had requested, orders was too strong a word. "Good, now," He gave a pointed look at Diana, "Why didnt you get sick ? Are you Royal? A friend of the Royal Family, perhaps? Or, ... and I dare you to test me on this one... A Wolfe?" he growled out that middle part with a narrowing of his eyes.

If he was trying to jar Diana into revealing who she was it didnt work, she was somehow expecting it, She shook her head "No I am not a member of the Wolfe family, I am an Assassin of the Arendelle Branch, taught by Georgina, I stay with her and work with her. At sight of the ship I did feel sick, but I guess I have better control or am too far away for anything to harm me ?" It was true, at that point when Elsa and Anna rejoined the three some in debate they had explored the ship carefully, Elsa had another book in her hands, a third journal.

There was not much Mark could say to that, it was true the distance from the ship made him feel better. Heck without his armor he felt better. perhaps it was because of his asrmor the ship did not recognise him ? Like it was sentient ? "Very well, I will accept the excuse for now" Georgina had to smirk behind Mark, it was like an old bucket, it held water, it did the job.

Diana however saw Elsa, and the new Journal, it was more of a legder looking book, yet there was something more about it. Diana felt as if the book was important, she pointed at it "what is that ?"

Elsa smiled, "Another of Mothers journals, it details the construction of the ship, the runes used, everything" she said, it also detailed the location of a fourth journal. But it also had some darker details, but Elsa couldnt pull herself from the book at all, it sucked her in tightly. Like a flytrap. it had stuff Elsa did not want to think about. She turned to them all; "So, did you find what Mark sought ?" Mark had left the ship quiet quickly muttering about why Diana wasnt ill like he had been and how they got down there, Anna had explained only scant details.

They all nodded, "yes, everything is set, now where does this come out ? It isnt easy to hider a ship this big, so prestine condition too!" Mark said, he went along the dock, the wothers followed him briefly, Diana keeping her distance and watching their backs. Was her job actually to do such thing.

As the group walked along the dockline looking for the inlet control door, Mark began muttering to himself again as his eyes blazed bronze once more. He stared up and down at the walls for a switch or a hidden word. He growled in frustration upon finding anything. However he let out a whistle of admiration when he saw the sheer size of the chains that held the anchor for the ship. Even the chains and anchor it looked like had runes on them.

Mark scurried back to the Ship and examined the chain, nudging it with his foot a few times before trying to lift it. "I wonder...how many men you reckon would be enough to Weigh Anchor?"

The face of the rock in front of the White Sparrow cracked straight down the middle and hissed as fresh sea air poured into the chamber. Slowly the anchor's chain began to rise from the water, the liquid simply slipping right off. Rust resistance and Hydrophobic runes...interesting. And no sea smell either! Suddenly the entire cavern shook, and the wall in front of the Whitesparrow's bow began to split apart.

When Mark scampered back to the ship the others traded looks, what the hell ? "Better we join him before he goes somewhere without us" Georgina said. The rest agreed and barely were on the ship's main deck when the gangplank began folding up into the hull of the ship. Oh no; the lines holding the vessel to the dock however remained tightly locked down. That was good, for the moment.

At the sudden rumble, of which they did not feel anything above ground, or those aboard the ship, the wall towards the bow cracked open and sunlight streamed through, filtered by water; ho yes of course! There was the water fall on that side of the castle! naturally occuring too! It started in the garden in the back of the castle, wait, did someone in the past design it ?

It didnt matter, soon the Whitesparrow would be seeing daylight!

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Ice Rink Courtyard**

 **At that same moment**

With a loud CLANK the stairs returned to being a fountain bottom as water once more flowed into the fountain and its many streams. the ice palace model however also acted, Elsa had seen how Ulnaus loved to perch upon the ice at thqat particular fountain. So, as the fountain reformed and filled once again with fresh water, the ice palace model broke apart and refroze into the form of Ulanus favorite perch. Allowing the massive eagle to preen in the sunlight and watch over the Ice Rink courtyard. There was a new bird in town, and he was staying put, His name was Ulnaus, and his family meal Templar, raw. Preferably in bad shape or about to die. but at this moment the massive Eagle preened, as if nothing had happened moments before.


	29. Sequence 7 Memory 3

**_Jellicle's Creed_**

 ** _Frozen Memories_**

 ** _Sequence 7_**

 ** _Memory 3: Duradaeden_**

 **12 February 2052**

 **Arendelle Fjord**

 **Mid afternoon**

 _"Nothing is true..."_

 **Assassin motto**

The interesting thing about iDuradaeden/i. was that it could be made into many things, at the right temperature, with the massive man-O-War now moving from its decades old slumber, with six people at the helm trying to keep it steady as the inlet door opened ever wider well below the castle far above, the mooring lines were carefully drawn in either by magic or command words, it wasn't easy to tell. never the less the Whitesparrow, as the inlet door was opened, slowly pulled away from the dock and the masts unfurled. catching unseen wind almost instantly.

When the ship lurched into high gear everyone grabbed the nearest item to hold stead, apparently only Diana was holding steady with the movement of the ship, as was Elsa, OK this was odd. well not entirely, Elsa was holding the rail, Mark was at the helm itself steering the ship, and Diana was holding a guy line attached to some rigging above as the ship moved, Anna lurched into Georgina who stumbled a bit but managed to stay upright as Mark skillfully steered the Whitesparrow through the ever widening wall.

The ship was light as a feather, it moved smoothly however. Almost as if eager to find a fight, it was all Mark could do to keep it steady on its present course, it was like it was bucking against Marks control, not wanting him to control it until Diana stepped up to the helm, Mark not wanting to fully relinquish control, relented when Elsa said to let her try, the ship seemed to welcome her aboard so readily. Even though she was not royal or a Wolfe -when in truth she was one of the two-, Elsa said to let her try, the ship seemed then to resist Marks control until he let Diana take over, the ship then moved smoothly through the inlet gate wall through the waterfall which seemed to part as the wall opened up. allowing the Whitesparrow to pass through unsoaked.

With Diana steering the ship, Mark was free to explore the ship further, it hummed with life apparently, the runes glowed upon the masts, gaining speed. Anna went with him while Elsa found a place to sit, her eyes on the book in her hands as she went through its pages. They went below decks to the next level down. the main deck held the deck guns, officers staterooms, and what looked like the prow deck and the brig towards the prow.

Mark lowered his head so that he could see the next deck faster, and he chuckled as he hopped down the next few steps to get an even better look. He admired each individual Cannon for a moment before looking around for another set of stairs. More cannons of course were below...as was the kitchen and mess-area. Not big enough for a full crew, but big enough for those who wanted to sit rather comfortably or to pass out from too much beer. The deck below that, the fourth if the main-top deck where everyone else was counted as the first, was where the bunks were stored for the majority of the crew. Some hammocks, but mostly bunks, double beds that still looked quite usable.

"No...they didn't..." Mark approached one, finding that even the mattresses and pillows had runes on them; comfort, if he had to guess. To prevent or heal seasickness, and remind each sailor of home in a way that wouldn't make them homesick. He laughed before going down another flight of stairs. This must have been the main Brig; as the walls were lined with cells. Or, the area where the farm animals for meat and milk and eggs were kept, based on the odd height and shape of the bars. Mark shrugged, and went down another flight.

The Powder room. Massive barrels lined the bulkheads five rows deep full of gun powder, while above their heads, the cannon balls were stored in a sort of advanced rail system; sort of how a bowling ball is returned to the rack after being thrown. Runes lined that too; acceleration and slowing runes for automatic movement for the easiest way for men to ferry the cannon balls up and down during battle. Mark paused as he turned his head and tilted it; noticing that Anna had followed him apparently. Deciding now would be a time for a joke, Mark chuckled to break the silence.

"How much ice do you think Kristoff would try and fit in this ship if he got the chance to use her for Transport ?" he asked.

"If the hold wasn't crammed with food and drink already, I'd say that much ice, maybe more on the upper deck." Anna replied, The two found a flight of stairs, made of steel that glittered like glass. Going up from the hold they found the main hold compartment, and also two rooms, what looked like gear stored within, swords, knives, bows, arrows, clothing, extra cloth, hell there was enough gear to repair clothing alone to outfit an entirely newly formed regiment! Everything had a rune on it, for the swords there were Sharpness Runes, for the knives, both Sharpness and Keen runes, the clothing had something akin to either Dry or Lightweight runes. The bows all had different types of runes, Fire, Ice, Air, Speed, and what looked like Bleeder Runes. which looked nasty. Possibly as a last resort.

Each deck had multiple guns; all of them connected by way of runes and glittery metal work that connected each to the powder room, completely Rune sealed and protected, but still requiring human interaction to make them work properly. It seemed the design of the guns were set up in the fact that once the first gun fired on a row, from Stem to Stern, the second would be ready to fire, then by time the third set on the deck was to fire in order the first guns were fully reloaded and ready to fire another round.

Protection and Sealing Runes were covering the Powder storage room and Cannonball racks. Keep them safe, when one put their hand close they could feel the resistance of the runes against their hand, like a shield of a sort.

Up at the helm Georgina took the place normally reserved for the First Mate or Quartermaster, it felt, oddly right to be there at that spot, looking out to the Fjord as the massive ship easily passed through the now open and cleared waterfall which as they passed through began to reform behind them. Soon the vault that housed the massive ship was once again sealed and unfound behind the waterfall.

Anna stepped into the Galley, that was when time seemed to rewind as Mark caught sight of a strange Rune; a Memory Rune, and also something else... something small, about the size of a house cat, and making a odd quiet slicing noise, like a knife cutting an apple...

 **Arendelle 1968 1154 PM**

 **Wolfe District**

 **Wolfe Manor {Mark Wolfe calender}**

 **Marion's bedroom {Marion Wolfe calender}**

It was too easy, far too easy. They'd patched into the security detail, but they couldnt find the boy. Their job was to eliminate the boy, and the girl, the two kids who could continue the Wolfe bloodline. So when they could not find the boy, their primary target, they went looking for his sister, their other primary target, and upon arriving at the door they found a servant just leaving, quickly knifing the woman the two men took their two kids though only eight and three knew how to fight dirty. Thank Chairty for that, and also the Queen.

They waited a good few minutes then when they were sure Mark had fallen asleep with his sister, sometimes he'd stay with her, protect her, make sure his sister was safe from harm, the two Templar soldiers entered. Moving quickly to the bed they had,as expected, found Mark dead to the world asleep, it was after all nearly midnight at the time.

The two men stepped forwards, knives ready to slit the childrens throats, but they were not expecting Marion to have set traps within her bedroom. Nor were they expecting Marion to be faking it and kick, hard, one of the Templars went down, holding his jewels as Marions tiny foot connected solid, like a cement block to the dick directly, it hard, Marion grabbed her pillow and swung her small arms as hard as she could as the first Templar was downed by a total system reset. Cold cocked by the pillow the man slammed head first onto the corner of the desk, hit the floor and lay still. Two minutes later hell broke loose across the grounds as their mother, Charity had arrived and got into a fast and furious fistfight with the second killer.

Charity called to her daughter in Norse "Wake up your brother! Now, Marion!" That meant one thing, a solid right hook to her brothers stomach. Solid, on point,and best of all, it woke him up like a shot

Mark cried out in pain and coughed a few times before curling up onto his knees and groaning. "You're...gonna break something...someday..." he spoke between coughing fits. He then got up and his eye twitched. "W-what is happening?" he asked, bleary eyed and tired still.

"We're being attacked dummy!" Marion replied quickly, slapping her brother's cheek hard this time to help wake him up faster. Mark whimpered again.

The Templar that Marion knocked clean out started to wake up as Charity fought fist to fist with the other armed man. their intent was clear why they were in the room as the fighting Templar tried throwing his knife; only to miss widely and land the thing in the corner post of Marion's four poster bed against the wall. Charity grunted as she was shoved backwards over the waking up man that her dfaughter had knocked out. Flicking her wrist her hidden blade's hook caught cleanl;y on the dresser and kept her from hitting the floor as she kicked the Templar back.

Charity pulled herself to her feet as the Templar on the floor got to his own feet and spat out two busted teeth, looking about briefly with a pained expression he saw their targets, the kids, on the bed, and awake, Fuck! Grabbing the dropped dagger he got to his feet and moved towards the bed, weary of any traps the children had laid. This wasnt going to be easy he had told himself, but his partner thought it was too easy.

Mark by now had woken up fully and dived at the man as he grabbed for his knife. He would distract him while Marion grabbed his knife from the man's hand while snapping his wrist. Mark slammed his forehead into the man's nose and it exploded in blood while Mark then hopped backwards and landed carefully. Marion leaped forward then immediately after Mark hopped back, and jammed the knife into the man's crotch as deep as she could, cutting through his pelvis and leaving him no longer a male. She hopped back onto the bed with a backflip and Mark joined her.

Mark then leaped towards the man his mother was fighting, leaping onto his back while his hands grabbed at his jaw and forehead; looking to try and snap the man's neck.

The man screamed; his voice going higher as the knife dug in. He reached for Marion, the kid did the damage, so the kid was going to pay for it with her life! he swung wide however, missing comepletely and nearly breaking his arm on the post of the bed, blood smeared on his face where his nose used to be as he looked madly for the kids. Only to get a solid whack at the jaw by the boys hands going for his neck. The mans attention on Mark however left the exact opening Marion sought. Of course all she really needed was either a bedsheet or her bathrobe beld to do the job right.

Or for that matter the enemy's own belt, Out of nowhere dispite the pain, the Templar attempted killer felt a draft in the nethers, which were gone at that point, somewhere in the woodwork under foot. As his pants fell to his ankles as his belt was suddenly around his neck and a child on his back. the man flailed madly trying to throw the child off him. Slamming into his fellow the same time the mother of the children kicked the other attacker dead in the jaw, sending him off the floor in a heap.

As they came tumbling to the ground, Mark jumped and then landed hard on their necks and heads with all of his body-weight, which while not much at his size, was enough to snap their necks easilly. Mark panted softly before standing up and stretching out his body; toned, muscular body shivering as he realized how cold it was in the room before jumping back onto the bed and snuggling under the covers for a moment before looking at his mother and blinking, his left eye twitching due to his fatigue from lack of sleep, and from the fact that...well, he did just help kill two men.

Marion panted softly as she hopped back onto the bed as well and sat, yawning before looking to her mother. "Now what, momma?"

Charity went to the dead men, her son was fast, her daughter to, one man was... sans pants, his belt about his neck. She went through the pockets, ignoring the blood from both bodies, as well as where one body bled from a rather recent nutering. She went through each pocket before finding it

Her heart stopped as she stared at it. A kill order. they werent safe. It was a partial names list, Both children were on it. For a long moment there was silence. Then a sudden thud from the hallway. Charity seemed to try and focus, her breathing, for the moment was hard and ragged as she had just been in a fight, in her daughters bedroom. Finally her breathing slowed and calmed. Looking to her son she said. "Find your father, Marion, go with him, do not leave his side." She took two dagers off her belt and held them out to her daughter, while to Mark she held out her slitteo. all three blades glittered green in the light of the room.

"As soon as you find your father, stay with him until he says otherwise. Whatever you do, ido not/i even think of fleeing into Arendelle outside the grounds, these men know what you look like, they have your namkes on their orders. We're their targets now." Charity said. She had some cleaning up to do. there was another crash as a window was broken. "Go!" Charity shrieked as she went to the hallway and threw a fourth blade, lodging deep in the face of a Templar.

It was actually kinda funny when Charity looked to the two dead men in her daughters bedroom, apparently even their underwaer had their alligence emblazoned on it. Templar underwear... who knew.

On the second floor a team of four templars waited at the bottom fo the stairs. "How long does it take to kill two kids ? They should be back by now!"

"Relax will ya ? This job aint over until everyone in this house is on fire or dead!" Said another in the four man patrol.

"What was that ?" Said another, turning fast the foursome looked down the hallway, it was their undoing as a leadpipe came from nowhere and nailed the patrol leader dead in the face, breaking his nose all over his face along with knocking out most of his teeth.

Seeing the two kids at the top of the stairs above them, the four men screamed "GET 'EM!" They scrambled madly, almost like a buncha drunks in a pubfight barelu getting anything done to the other as they scrambled on the stairs to get at the kids.

They'd be waiting for them, and when the Templars came charging up the stairs, Marion struck first, slicing each of their achilles tendons and ensuring that they wouldn't be able to get away before Mark jumped up and slit their throats with ease. Unlike he would learn to do as he grew older, Mark never looked at anyone he killed, figuring he didn't actually hurt anyone if he couldn't see them while he did it.

They did this with multiple floors and hallways of the Wolfe Manor; they'd bait the Templars, then ambush them brutally within a flash. Mark was able to slam one man's head through the the wall with the help of his momentum and a powerful nut kick from Marion to make the guy double over. Marion killed a few men or made them faint by cutting off more of their comrades genitals, leaving the survivors so horrified they passed out, leaving Mark to kill them.

What had been initally a strike team of fifty men, had been, in part to the kids alone, reduced to four, not including the two men killed in Marions bedroom. But thanks to their training by their parents, the Templars that went after the kids, be they in pairs or in patrol groups, almost all of them died; but not until they lost their ability to walk. One Templar tood his ground all of one minute before he tripped backwards over Marion, slamming into the wall, his neck broken by Mark with the boys added weight helping kill the man.

The kids were smart, they were deadly. But. they were ikids/i How could a pair of children, one of whicvh a toddler still most likely, kill so skillfully ? So good at improvision. the last four Templars never heard from their patrol teams. the mission was failing fast and something had to be done. But what they never saw was the new guy show up. It was actually a young woman, Marion standing on her brothers shoulders in a black trenchcoat from their parents closet. the perfect way to kill their enemy. Blend in.

None of the four men using the kitchen as their staging room for the operation to kill the Wolfe Clan off for good never suspected the new arrival until it was too late.

' _There is no way this is gonna work._ ' Mark whispered quietly, Marion kicked him as she stood on his shoulders and he shut his mouth. Remarkably, they made it past the gun-toting Templar guard at the kitchen entrance without a hitch. Mark wanted to slam his face against a desk hard right now, but it wasn't the time. They'd wait until they were in the middle of the room, then pounce.

"Hey! We're the only four left, who the hell are you?"

Well... crap. No time than now! Mark grabbed Marion by the ankles and helped launch her at her target. She soared through the air and landed in his arms as she slashed his neck, using his body as a cushion while she rolled to attack another. Mark turned and threw his knife at the guard by the door. He then opened a drawer and drew out the cook's butcher knife, and chucked it as hard as he could at the man aiming to stab Marion with a broad sword. He slammed into the man's hand and he dropped the sword, cutting his foot in the process while screaming. Mark grabbed another knife, one used to filet fish, and then charged the man, scraping away at his neck until there was nothing left. but muscle and blood. Marion got up, leaving her daggers in her last target's chest while she panted, tired again.

"Is it too early to go back to bed?" Mark asked while he and his sister hugged.

Sadly it was, there was still the gun ready man at the door poking his gun about the corner at Marks back. The weapon was full with a twenty shot clip of 9mm antiarmor rounds. More then enough to do the job and finish what they were supposed to. the kids were hugging, two birds with one shot.

He never got off a shot because of a very well aimed frying pan broke the mans neck as their father stepped into view dusting off his hands. the mans body sagged to the floor and the gun was kicked away by Marion where it rested under the dishwasher.

"Papa?" Marion ran over to him, and he picked her up, nuzzling her gently as she hugged him happily. Mark smiled and ran up to hug his father's leg tightly, and Marcus in turn ruffled Mark's messy bed-head.

"You two... I'm so proud of you both. Defending not only yourselves, but the house and family as a whole. Your ancestors will be proud, I think." Marcus said as he looked at his children, his pride and joy. His smile turned into a frown as he crouched down and looked his children in the eyes, and they returned his gaze. "I need you two to pack your bags; it's not safe here in the manor anymore. Papa's going to see about getting us somewhere safe so that they will leave us alone and not ruin our home. Now go up to your rooms, pack your things. Hurry!" he said, patting their backs rather roughly as he stood, watching them dart up the stairs quickly.

He walked over to the stove and picked up the gun, droping the the mag and ejecting the round in the chamber, Marcus looked over the gun carefuly. This was American in design... He narrowed his eyes. When did ithey/i get such good tech? Last time he encountered them, they barely had machine pistols from the first world war. Now this... he shook his head. Not good.

A sudden CLACK was heard as Charity slammed the frying pan on the floor and stepped into the kitchen. Seeing her husband at the stove examining the gun she stared. The two men in Marions room had daggers, typical low tech, but. why the gun ? Wait, the Templars had _guns_ ? "Marcus ? What is it ?" Charity had briefly met up with the kids in the stairway and cinfirmed their fathers mention to pack their bags, a deerdrawn carraige arrived, two women stepped out and entered into the kitchen, the twins where none other then fellow Assassin's Snowfeather and Blackmane.

"Templars are moblising across the district" Blackmane said, "I'd say about twenty minutes tiops before their forces arrive when they dont hear from their inital strike force."

"I agree, Marcus, see to the watch, I'll go to the kids and help them pack." Chairty gave her husband a kiss, even if they were in mortal danger, which they were, it didnt matter, their love was strong. And so was the kiss.

Marcus put the round back into the clip and then loaded it before putting the gun on semi-auto and chambering the first round. He nodded to Blackmane and nodded towards the stairs to tell her where the kids were. He cupped Charity's chin while they kissed holding the gun up in the other hand, finger off the trigger. "Go, love. There's only one way in, I'll keep it covered. Instruct all servants to lock any and all items of value inside the more easilly baricaded rooms, and lock themselves inside with them. The rest will go into the assorted vaults if we can get them open in time." he said.

With a nod he went towards the main door, which was wide open, and he slammed it shut, locking it with a barrier spell before summoning his gauntlet, the left handed clawed weapon glowing brightly as it came into view and he took post by a window to watch, the claws of his gauntlet tapping on the glass as his fingers rolled, impatient.

Mark was quick to pack, only a few changes of whatever he needed, shirts, pants, socks, underwear, and a few daggers. He put on his boots and then paused after zipping up his bag.

This was it...he was leaving. He now realized it. He was old enough to realize he wouldn't be coming back to this place for a long time, if ever. The place of his childhood, his family. It woudl be gone soon. He gripped his hands into tight fists, the knuckles cracking as he fell to his knees and started to quietly sob. Marion handled it a bit better, but was still sad as well. It wouldn't be until she saw the devastation of the house while they left that she'd break down crying as well.

Blackmane watched the door at the front, leaving Charity and Marcus alone for a few that brief moment they had Charity leaned her head against her husband, "We'll have tosplit them up. Snowfeather cant take one of them. To keep them safe we have to do it. It will spread us out yes, but. it will save their lives. getting them out of Arendelle is our only chance. But they must go in different directions. Mark and Marion were their targets, not us." Charity briefly detailed the fight in their daughters bedroom, and how well the two kids reacted.

Then Snowfeather arrived "carrigaes filling the street, if we go we go now. Do you have any safe rooms ?" As she spoke a crack of gunfire was heard from the front of the house. Blacmane stood there, a orange light glowed on the door, shimmering with martial energy as the defense runes flared bright orange with each crack of gunfire.

Their time of twenty minutes, had just been cut to ten.

Marcus nodded to Charity. "Have Snowfeather take Mark; he'll need her more...gentle hand; plus I heard she had daughters a while ago; he'll need siblings to rely on. You take Marion and head somewhere safe...London...last I heard the Assassins there were still strong...I love you...stay safe and may Light guide you. go!" he said.

Mark had begun all out crying now, and couldn't be consoled by his sister no matter how much she pleaded with, smacked, or even kicked him. He just didn't stop. He'd eventually quiet down when told to by Snowfeather as she picked him up, and he clung to her like a baby gorilla clings to its mother.

Marcus could be heard cursing as his barriers were hit with gunfire in the front of the house. Servants ran all over the house, grabbing whatever valuables they could and barricading them, along with themselves, in rooms to hopefully be found later by another Wolfe.

Blackmane had something of a weapon in her hands, a bow of a sort, firing arrows of etheral green through the shield rune barrier as it was one way, each shot found its target, And most of the shots were intended to start small fires to light up the courtyard outside. For one, she wanted tosee just how many of the enemy there was, and for two, she wanted to draw the enemy into the light.

Charity nodded, as did Snowfeather, moving quickly the two women moved up the stairs, gunfire rang out again. peppering the shield rune barriers around the house until a window broke in Marks bedroom, gunpire peppered the ceiling, renting holes in the ornate wood as Snowfeather arrived with Charity. It was only a matter of time before all the house was in ruin, but until then they had work to do. They had to get the children to safety. Servants rushed the halls.

Charity knew a path out, A safe path. it was their only choice. they had to go. Giving a nod to Snowfeather as she picked up Marion, Charity took for the master bedroom closet. Activated a door Marion had seen as a baby to the vaults below, Charity and Marion diaappeared from the Manor down into the ground as the sounds of fighting and screaming rattled the halls above as Snowfeather carried Mark, spelling away his suitcase to her own home safely with a transport array.

As Snowfeather reached the main floor, the Shield Rune barrier finally broke with an orange flare of light as Blackmane fired another arrow, this time lighting up the night sky like a massive flare. Seeing her sister Blackmane screamed out in Hebrew "iGO! We got this, I will see you at home!/i" Snowfeather nodded, with her twin sister providing distraction it was a clear shot to safety as Blackmane fought side by side with Marcus Wolfe to defend the Manor.

But like all Templars, they may be bad men and women, but they made decent tennats

 _Twenty minutes later_

 _The Broken Arm tavern_

Finally out of the Whitehall Distrct, Charity carried her daughter, the smoke and flames could be seen for many districts. And even though Charity wasnt looking in the direction of the fires of their home, Marion was able to see it all clearly. Charity hammered on the door, "Arm! Open up, its important, lousy sleeprock! WAKE UP AND OPEN THIS DOOR BROTHER!"

"Alright I'm coming I'm coming I... Charri ? What's going on ? What in the blazes ?" Seeing ther fire, and the fact his sister carried both her daughtert and two suitcases Arm put two and two together and somehow came up with three hundred different ways to kill a Templar, almost all of them Marion did that night already.

"No time to explain," Charity said, when Arm just stared at her, bloodstained clothing, Marion's hands had blood on them from killing and ambushing their enemies. Charity, in an odd bout of calm said simply "Can we come in ?" Arm nodded and let his sister inside.

Marion by now was sobbing quietly into her mother's shoulder, not letting her put her down and just hanging on for dear life. Luckilly she was light enough to just kind of hang there while Charity held onto the box she was going to give to her brother. "I...I don't wanna leave, Momma...I don't wanna leave!" she kept repeating through her sobbing.

Charity held her daughter tightly, fighting back tears Chairty agreed softly "I know sweetie, I know, I dont want to leave here either, but we're in danger if we stay in Arendelle, _You and your brother_ , are in danger if we stay, if either of _you two_ stay" she said sfotly holding her daughter close, Arm asked no questions, however he did hand his sister something.

"Came in the morning mail. Its addressed to you apparently" Inside was another letter saying another womans name. A woman the Queen trusted and was sending them to ? Apparently seeing and hearing what was going on through the guards, and briefly through her own children, the queen had deduced trouble was soon to occur and wrote a letter to a friend, the same friend that the Queen rusted enough to send Charity to in the first place.

Seeing how his niece was acting he then said "the less I know, the less I have to lie, in mean time, lets get you two to safety, come on. We can take my mueldeer carriage to the Telthay Docks, there's a ship leaving in an hour at two am. I want the two of you on it and to safety, if anyone comes here asking, you were never here." Arm said giving his sister a quick hug and a gentle pat on the back to Marion who held her mother tight.

"Thank you Arm, whatever happened between you and Mother I forgive now, when dawn comes, send some soldiers to retrieve the servants, have them scatter or work for the Queen directly. They hid valued items in the barricaded rooms." Charity said

"Anything for Family." Arm replied. with that he took his sister and niece to a nearby shed and hooked up his mueldeer to a carriage and they headed off for safety. Leaving behind for all Marion could see, her home wreathed in smoke from green and white fires. the last thing she saw clearly however, was her brother staring right at her. It was the last thing she saw as Arm took a gentle turn and the scene from hell was left in memory.

 **London England 1968**

 **Aboard the Zealus Hiorde {Marion Wolfe Calender}**

 **1157PM**

 ** _Letter to Chalice Elisar from Queen Idun of Arendelle, decoded from the orginial_**

 _Dear Chalice,_

 _Three years have passed since we last spoke, and though it has been so long and had it been under better timnes, this letter would be a form of long lost friendships renewed, but alas it is not. I am sending with this letter a dear friend of mine to you into your care in London. They are to be kept safe, for the Hold here is too great for either of them to even so much as hide within the castle here._

 _Again were this under better times it'd also inform of merriment, but alas I can only inform of death and destruction_

 _It was these three years spent with her extraordinary children that made me begin teaching my own daughter as best I could. The time I spent with the children has galvanised me, and for this I am forever in their debt. Marion stirred within me a love for my own girls, Elsa, and Anna, three years apart, yet no less sisters._

 _I should explain; as Asassins we serve within the shadows to protect the freedom of those around us as much as we can. As assassins we're instilled with a certain philosiphy. Unlike the Templars who devide our numbers to conqure later. We see millions of bright spots, young intelligent bright people, each with their own potential and able to work within a greater whole._

 _But I often wonder, Do we put this pholiphy into practise ourselves ? When we train our young Assassins and give them swords when they barely learn to walk, we instill in them philosiphies that are not their own but handed down through generations before them, we train and teach, sculpting the children into what we essentially are; a killer._

 _What we are doing is right, please do not take this as a sign of my doubt, I am now more firm in my belief then ever that the Brotherhood is strong in its virtues and stands for everything that is right in this war ready wrongfilled world. My doubt, dear Chalice, is the application of that philosiphy. It is this doubt that keeps me awake at night, at the mere wonderings of our children able to take up the responsiblity of being an Assassin, a killer. I keep doubting, wondering if we may fail our children when molding them into our own omage. When we should in fact, be teaching them to follow their own path. I wonder often, are we merely paying lip service to the ideals we espouse so greatly ?_

 _For my own children, Princess Elsa, and Princess Anna, I have taken a different approach, different from the one I tried to follow with Marion and her brother then indoctrnating them, I have instead given them the tools to learn on their own, to teach themselves at their own pace._

 _It pleases me that they continue to learn, but this latest setback, the attack and sending of Charity and her daughter to your care to complete her training. I will know that when they are ready, when I feel them mentally and physically ready to take a life, only then can they truly be called Assassins, Some of us may be able to follow one path, others may be able to follow another path, though we may all bear the title of Assassin, we need not be a lifeteaker to become one._

 _Marion will kill, yes she will kill, in a heartbeat if need be, maybe even less in self defense, or in defense of those she loves. When she will be ready to kill only she will know. She shows promise and I trust her mothers judgement; when Marion feels the time to take the life of her target, then she herself will know when she is ready._

 _But I wonder_

 _Will she do so in the name of the ideals we strive for ? Will she do so in the name of the Creed ?_

 _Will she do so in cold blood ?_

 _Which brings me to the timing of this letter, Her home has been attacked and I send her and her mother to your care, Train Marion as if she were your own child. With her extended family destroyed, her brother Mark still lives, he is safely with a friend from the Mystical South. When Marion is ready, she will go on her first assassination mission. When this occurs only she will know. For me I will wait until Elsa and Anna are of both age, strength, and mental ability before sending them out to kill. Or even letting them think of taking lives._

 _I pray that you can teach Marion, just as I taught ever so briefly, to learn at her own pace. She shows skill and promise with two blades, Train her with these weapons. I am sending with them a Piece; Marion is attuned to it somehow, its designs she has already incorprated into her twin daggers. I hope to see her again in the future, please trust me as you trusted me in the past, Chalice, trust me now as I trust them into your care, Train her. But also teach her to think on her own. Marion is a free spirit, I sense from her a great powerof some form. One I cannot place._

 _If only this were in better times that I send her to you for training. Marion would make a wonderful friend and bodyguard for Anna. Just as Mark would make a nice friend and bodyguard for Elsa._

 _Yours, as ever_

 _Queen Idun_

 _Arendelle_

The letter was folded and put away, the woman looked to Charity and the child in her arms, "Welcome to London." Was all Tiri said.

 **London England**

 **Tower of London**

 **Sixteen years later {Marion Wolfe Calender}**

There were theives and then there were artists, and then there were roadloving crazies.

This person in question, was a thief. This thief, as will become apparent, was moving quickly through the Tower of London leaving no trace of itself in its wake. This thief was a special type of thief. Most thieves took everything not nailed down, this thief took the nails as well. This thief had scandalised London for the past six years, by taking a certain interest in stealing, with astonishing success, things that were not only nailed down, but carefully guarded by keen eyed guards in inaccessible strong rooms. There were artists that would paint an entire chaple ceiling, this thief would steal said ceiling when it was open house for said chaple!

Some thieves left calling cards, this thief left the whole damned phonebook!

This particular thief was credited with stealing the jewelled daggers that once belonged to the King of England, King George III during the Gala Tours Night at the Westminister Abby, back during the days of the revolution in America hundreds of years before. This thief also stole the fabled silver shoes off the Kentucky Derby winners horse, while the horse was in proccess of winning the race! When a known jewel thief had stashed his illgotten gains, the thief had jostled him in the street, and when he got home he found them missing. which was weird because he'd swallowed them.

This was the type of thief that could steal the initiative, the moment, and the words right out of your mouth while you were speaking!

However it was the first time this thief had stolen something because it was asked to do so, plus ontop of being asked to steal the item in question, it had been given explicit instructions on how to use it, by the item the thief took no less Easily slipping past several hover cruisers and patrol wagons, the shadowy thief easily scaled a wall to a window and climbed through.

Stealing into a pub to meet up with a friend, the thief spoke from under its hood after finding who the thief sought, a woman, a Courtesan. One of Chalices girls, with her a man. the man saw the dark robed being coming and took his leave. "Psst" the thief said to the Courtesan

"Not very" Came the reply, the womans name was Viv, "But I'm working on it" she was a courtesan and always drunk ? That didnt make sense! Then Viv knew who she was talking to "You got it then ?"

"Yes" came the reply. "It also told me how to get out of there too, ready ?" The voice said, it shifted tone ever so slightly.

Normally one would want to back out, at least Viv did, up until that voice spoke. It was the kind ofvoice that made "good morning' sound like an invitation to bed. For Viv, getting drunk and staying out of trouble was her path to survival, jouining up with Chalices girls was really a means to get loaded on men with PCP or Crack or something. Nothing like this, nothing with getting connected, or even touching, a Piece. The thief lowered its hood, a pair of slivery green eyes framed by light aburn hair and fair skin graced Viv's vision, For a long moment Viv stared, and tried to remember to breathe

Viv was staring at one of Chalices higher ranking girls!

In this case, Viv was staring eye to eye with her own teacher!

After catching her breath, Viv finally spoke after pulling Marion to the side of the bar counter, "What are you doing here ?" Viv hissed softly, "If Chalice finds out you came here, where I learn information, which isnt much, mind, she'll slit our throats both!"

"Will you relax ?" Diana replied calmly, the adopted daughter of the famed Chalice Elisar, Diana was a skilled theif and even better at hiding in plain sight! "Nobody but you know I'm here."

"Me and everyone else in this bar, Teach." Viv replied. She saw then twin heavily ornate jeweled daggers at Marion's left hip. "Say, arent those the jeweled daggers of King George the third back during the American Revolution ?"

"Not anymore,, they're mine now."

"But those were locked behind stained glass i the Tower of London!" hissed Viv.

Marion smirked again. "Like I said, they iwere/i, they're mine now." She set a pair of stolen keys on the counter. The Corvette symbol clearly visible. Viv covered the key

"You got the car too ?"

"Not yet, thats just the key for it. That was easy to get, the car is going to be slightly more problematic." Marion replied

"What do you mean ?"

"Come on, we got a drive to go on." With that Marion took Viv on foot from the bar Viv was in. the bar, called the Minorities, sat only a half block from their intended target, A few moments and they easily went past the guards on duty, the changing of keys was all show and no bite. Marion only had one key she needed, and that was to her desired prize.

Stepping swiftly into the car park just out of sight of a pack of guards, the two women stepped into their desired prize parking shed. "The queen spared no expense it seems." Marion mused. Well, it was time to take this sweet baby on a joyride for sure! The key unlocked the car and within a moment Marion had disabled the alarm and alarmtracking systems and then started the car up. Pulling up to the gate to leave the Tower of London Marion slid her parking card into its slot, then pulled out of the lot

That went easy enough.

Or not

Marion had already been in the car once, and had set a police scanner inside it. "I think it is time for a little fun." Marion mused. she needed to give their man on the inside a chance and activated the scanner. Using certain codes she then spoke into it "All units be advised, sports car reported stolen from Tower of London autoplaza five minutes ago, gray color. silver rims, last seen leaving Tower of London."

Marion put down the radio then hit the gas, it was time to play!

The chatter on the radio came through seconds later as the Vette sped past a pair of police cars. "In pursuit of suspected stolen sports car traveling eastbound towards St Katherine Docks at twice the legal limit." Marion drove as if she were a master behind the wheel, she was a master thief yes, but she was also a master when it came to driving and getting away.

A new voice rang out on the radio. "Attention all units be advised, the sports car stolen is the Queens personal Corvette sports car, Model year 1971, classic muscle car design from America. Be advised, DO NOT DAMAGE IT, you will answer to me for any damage to the car!" Marion growled as she recognised the voice. Shit, the Prince himself was tracking her and trying to find her

"Suspect car heading south towards Tower Bridge apprach... make that south on St Katherines Way!"

Shifting the Vette into fifth gear Marion took a hard left turn the wrong way down a one way street, The police right behind. Viv, while quite calm said while pointing out a sign that they passsed. "you know that sign said 'do not enter' ?"

Marion shifted into sixth gear, gaining speed she spoke, oddly calm. "You noticed too huh ?" She turned the car around to avoid getting slammed into from the side and drove backwards for a few hundred meters. Viv hung on for dear life as the Thief who scandalised London so skillfully the last six years had just evaded a police dragnet perfectly with Queen Kate's new car!

At least she left the Phonebook in her space!

"Suspect now heading the wrong way into St Katherine Dockyard..." Said the police scaner as Marion took a hard left then a hard right, Viv trying to keep her lunch. as the radio chirped "make that eastbound on Mews street towards Tobacco Docks airdocks" Marion drove like a crazy woman therough the shopping center crowded with people many dove off the street into the river and dock area meters away with scant centimeters to spare as she drove through the area madly.

Mews street turned north, thewn just as fast at the speed they were going turned east yet again, Marion slammed on the brakes and tunewd hard to the right before slamming the gas hard and flooring the Vette forwards like as shot onto Thomas Moore street, after about a hundred meters she cut the wheel to the left into an alley with a straight shot at the Vaughan Way Riverpass before turning left and heading towards Asher Way

When the desired path was blocked off Marion pulled a U-Turn tighter then thought possible and floored the gas southwards on Vaughan Way towards Wapping High Street.. Shifting into seventh gear Marion kept steady on the gas, thanks to modern technology the Vette was powere by magnetical energy, the more speed produced the more power the rig had.

With a hard right onto Sampson street Marion slowed slightly and drifted onto Wapping Way to the eastern direction. "If we can get to Wapping Lane to get to Tobacco Dock we're in the clear." Marion said, as she spoke holographic maps appeared as an overlay on the front windshield.

"Whats at Tobacco Dock ?" Viv asked

"Your ride back to Interpol, We need an eye on the Prince; plus someones gotta plant the Datascav in their network room. Get ready Wapping Lane just ahead!" Marion said. Viv nodded and got ready, unbuckling and lowering the window as Marion sped up. the target truck was ahead for Viv to hop onto to get off the Vettes hood.

Marion shifted gears and cut hard to right as Viv easily rolled off the hood and into the bed of the nearby pickup truck. the police never noticed the movement Marion did because they were focused on her shot up Wapping Lane towards The Highway and took a hard left onto The Highway. It was a straight shot back to the Tower of London from there.

"Suspect heading Westbound on The Highway." Rattled the radio, Marion turned it off, she had to focus on these next few turns, otherwise it'd end in disaster! As she neared the Tower of London spikes were deployed, She easily evaded the strips and shot towards the Tower Bridge approach, but since they were expecting her to do that she pulled a hard U-Turn again and hit the gas, heading northwards she cut another left towards Upper Thames road.

A swarm of police cars chased after her, but one by one they lost power, or reached their limits of patrol zones. Marion shifted into a higher gear and shot up onto the Southwark Bridge lanes and shot southwards onto the Southwark Bridge itself. Moving fast the Vette skillfully dodged traffic on the bridge as well as on the other side.

Marion left pure chaos in her wake as police and secret agents alike tried to figure out how she had managed to steal the prized Corvette that belonged to the Queen of England. Marion shot down Southwark bridge lane and turned east on Southwark street before getting onto St Thomas Way near a trainstation. there were less people and more room to drive in the area there.

Once onto Crusifix lane Marion had a swarm of police officers waiting for her. She skillfully wove the car through the traffic barricade and shot eastwards towards freedom of the roasd known as A200. or Jamacia Road. Marion shot along the street like a bullet, skillfully dodging oncoming traffic.

Merging in with traffic for the desired target of Rotherhithe Tunnel Marion quickly evaded the police dragnet by using a secret key access to unlock a second tunnel route and getting to freedom. About an hour later and she pulled safely into the place she and her mother called home.

Another theft of a prize was a success. Marion thought stepping from the car once turning it off. Finally she could relax in bed for once

 **Arendelle 1968**

 **Twenty-one years ago {Mark Wolfe Calender}**

 **Aboard the Crocus**

 **1157PM**

It had been a harrowing day. One moment they were visiting with friends, next thing the boy knew, he was taken by the hand of a friend to a ship. his home in flames as unknown men swarmed the grounds. The woman he was with took him to a ship which they quickly boarded, it was headed for Egypt. And points beyond. The woman, known only as Snowfeather Elisar, a friend from the Exotic southern lands was visiting when the storm had struck.

He could hear the screaming from the ship; the screaming of men and women as they fought and died. He could still faintly see his father, Marcus Wolfe, fighting a group of men at once, his gauntlet; the gauntlet that would become Mark's once he was old enough, gleamed in the fire-light of the Wolfe District. And then, he couldn't see him. He was gone. Mark knew his father could vanish, but...from plain sight? All he saw was a simple bronze flash.

The other men shrugged and turned to loot the homes of the surrounding district. Looting, murdering, maiming, even raping everyone in the district. Mark looked away and latched onto the closest person he could find; which happened to be Snowfeather; well, her leg, specifically.

At eight years of age the boy was light, yet strong. For a long moment, Snowfeather stood at the stern of the ship, the boy hugging her leg, from that far away as they fled she too could still see the smoke, hear the fighting, hell she could smell the fighting and the bloodshed. Finally the Corcus had passed through the harbor to leave the Arendelle Port and were at open seas within moments. It was then that Snowfeather reached down and picked up Mark in her mar,s letting him hug her tightly.

They had a room on board; once shown to it she went to the low sofa and sat down, still holding Mark in her arms. Earlier that day Mark was a smiling young boy, proud as hell of his younger equal active younger sister Marion. It was the mere thought of Marion that made Snowfeather start purring, hopefully to lull a better happier moment into Marks young mind.

Thankfully it worked. the memory that came up was the day of the painting. Snowfeather asked Mark softly as she gently dried his tears with her pale silvery green sleeve, "Tell me, son. About that day. the family painting. your mother said you were proud and eager, yet also sleepy ?" The happier moment was a good one because right afterwards Mark and Marion had found the hidden vault under Marions bedroom by pure accident. A panic room of sorts.

There was but one question; why did she call him Son ?

Mark's quiet sobs didn't stop immediately after she asked the question; it would take a few repeats in order to coax him to move his face from her neck in order to be heard better while he spoke, the tears having stained a part of Snowfeather's coat. "I..." he sniffled and rubbed at his eyes with one hand while the other kept a firm grip on Snowfeather's coat around her back. "I...um..yea...I was sleepy." he said. "I..I don't think I look sleepy in the painting though...I look at it sometimes." he said, his voice still shaky.

His head rested on Snowfeather's upper chest and shoulder as his body shook a bit; not from the cold; he was used to that, but from the sheer amount of fear in his body for what was happening. Fresh tears welled up in his eyes and he started to quietly sob again, wrapping his other arm around Snowfeather once more and hugging her tighter than before.

Snowfeather purred, to Mark, who at the time, a young boy, it must have been otherworldly. Something a human was not capable of doing. and Snowfeather could do it, infact her purring was strong, loud too, like a mother cat protecting her young as she held Mark close. She knew he was scared. There was not much she could do to quell that fear, so she simply sat on that sofa, for about two hours she held Mark, She klnew that fear would be ever close, yet it would never harm him. Or get close enough to.

So she told him a story. A story of a man from ages before. And how he used the Birds to aid him in his journey. She told Mark the story of a man named Connor, and another man named Ezio, who as luck had it, were told so vividly in great detail as if Snowfeather herself had met both men. She told Mark of Ezios fight against first the Borgia in his home of Florence and in Rome, and then Borgia's son when in Rome. And finally telling of Connor and his fight to help free America from British rule..

Before she knew it her stories, her memories, had lulled Mark into a fitful yet sound sleep. She gently stood and carried him to the bed and laid him in it and covered him with the blanket, making sure he was warm, and safe. Stepping from the room Snowfeather halted at the footsteps. "He fears for his life," She said softly, in Norse, the man who stepped into view had something in his hands, a leather wrapped parcel. "When the time is right he may return, but when that will be I do not know." Snowfeather looked at Marcus directly, "Your son will be safe with me, I promised Charity, and I tend to keep my promises."

Marcus looked to his son; his only son, strong and study, yet scared beyond his wits. He wiped some sweat from his brow and then put his other hand, wearing the gauntlet, on Snowfeather's shoulder, the claws lightly bouncing on her coat. "See that he grows to be at least five times the man I am or will be. The clan will need a strong leader...for right now, he's our only hope." he said as he sighed, gulping down the urge to break down.

The Wolfe Clan had protected the Royal Family of Arendelle for years...recently though their assistance wasn't requested; ever since the first daughter was born. They kept in contact, however; and the two first borns of the family were well acquainted with eachother already; friends too- to a degree.

Marcus sighed and turned. "See that he reads this when he's old enough to understand." he nodded to the parcel. "When he's..." he took a deep, shaky breath. "When he's _**Strong**_ enough to understand."

Idly he went over to his sleeping son and ran his fingers through the boy's hair before stooping down and kissing the boy's forehead. "Grow strong, Mark...The Clan needs you...Arendelle, will need you to be strong." he whispered before standing and turning. He gave Snowfeather a quick hug before vanishing into the shadows with another bronze flash.

Snowfeather nodded and took the parcel in hand. When Mark was strong enough; in his heart, when he felt he could not learn anymore, anything left within Egypt that would send them to Arendelle, when he wanted to know _why_ his family was attacked, why he was the only one left Snowfeather was quiet until the hug, "Be safe, Master Wolfe. Find those who attacked your family" When he disappeared she watched the bronze flash fade away; Once again saying softly "stay safe"

For long moments she stood in the room, she went then to the baggage area and found her luggage and placed the parcel in it. She then went back to her room where Mark slept and slept on the sofa all night long.

 **One week later**

 **Egypt**

 **Alexandrian Docks and customs**

"Name ?" A man asked, behind the customs agent desk sat a older man, who was apparently bored.

"Snowfeather Elisar, and Son" She said, the man looked between them, Mark had freshened up over the weeklong trip. the stories Snowfeather told him daily and nightly, kept him away from evil thoughts the entire trip

"Anything to declear ?" the customs agent asked,

Snowfeather shook her head, saying. "Nothing of too much importance other then my sons traveling papers, we had yet to get him his passport before our sudden travel" The agent looked to Mark, a strong young lad, possibly about eight or nine, too young for a passport or Egypt issued ID. The man nodded, stamped Snowfeathers passport and let them through to Egypt

Once outside the terminal they waited at the street "There are two people I want you to meet son" Snowfeather said, she meant her twin daughters. She had mentioned them briefly on the ship.

Mark still clung to at least Snowfeather's coat with one hand while they walked; his eyes were tired yet alert as they docked and went through was wearing a long sleeved shirt and some simple hide pants to hide his skin from the elements. Fortunately unlike most Arendellians, he wasn't very pale. His fair face was innocent yet strong; the signs of a warrior, even this early in age.

He looked up to his 'Mother' and blinked. "My new sisters?" he asked. He was still getting used to the fact that Snowfeather was to be his new mother for now, but he was adapting quickly enough it seemed.

Snowfeather smiled, "yes, they can also help us get you some new clothing" she said. Gently taking him by the hand she lead him to a waiting doubledecker hoverbus, sometimes technology helped in this part of the world. Egypt was on the cusp of advancing its technology beyond anything else in the world. Once seated and their luggage aboard she told the driver where to head. technology advanced quickly, possibly too quickly, infact, the year Mark was used to was 1968, when in fact in Egypt it was actually closer to 2032 or thereabouts, technology was rampant.

A moment or two later and the bus headed into the countryside, towards the Zagazig district before coming to a gentle halt. "We're here." steping off the bus they were outside a gated fence; from the road Mark could see a long stately driveway with what looked like many gardens. A pond; and several gazeebo like domes in several areas. One of which sat on an island within the pond accessed by a bridge.

"Welcome home Mark." Snowfeather said activating the gate. the gate slid open on a track allowing them to step through, a moment or so later and a yong woman clothed similar to Snowfeather, though more robelike rather then a hooded coat, soon arrived with a golfcart for their baggage and to get them to the massive house. which, like the Wolfe Manor, was going to be Marks new home

Mark's eyes soon widened when he saw how rampant the technology was here. It was so different compared to Arendelle's technology. His face was practically glued to the window of the bus as he sat in Snowfeather's lap on the way to his new home. He took her hand when the bus stopped and he followed her out of the vehicle. He marveled at the size of the house; but then lowered his head and clung to her leg again; reminded of his now lost home.

"I miss home...my real home..." he said softly tears beginning to well up in his eyes again.

"As do I, but you cannot go back there. Because if you do, who will care for you, teach you ?" Snowfeatrher said as she helped him onto the golfcart and sat next to him, Natila; a young Assassin woman drove them up to the house. "What you were learning in Arendelle you will continue here. Your father trusts you will be safer here then in Arendelle, I fear the attack was aimed not at your parents, but you and your sister. Your mother agreed. With the Queens help we got you to safety here with me."

The door of the massive house opened, unlike the Wolfe Manor, which was four floors, the Elisar manor was two floored and very sprawling, several wings, from above it was seen as the middle spine of a snowflake with two brances spreading to east and west. with wings in all directions from there. Snowfeather smiled, seeing who was running out, twin girls, both dark haired girls scampered around the tall thin as a twig bulter Jeeves who stood at the door, waiting.

The twins wasted no time running to their mother and pretty much tackling her out of the golfcart in a massive hug while screaming out one word "Momma!'. For a very brief moment Mark heard the joyful cries of kittens with their mothers arms prtecting them. He had much to learn of this new world he found himself in.

Mark hid behind Snowfeather as the sounds of the twins crying out for their mother. After a while of the purring of the girls, he looked out from behind Snowfeather for a second before hiding behind her again. He was a bit shy; though he looked at the ground again; the memories of his home and extended family doing much the same thing numerous times. He sighed and turned back to them a bit, nervous.

It was Serenity who noticed Mark peeking over her mothers shoulder next to Natila; whom the girls refered to as their Nanny. Of course the timing of Mark poking out to look at the twins the same exact moment Serenity noticed him looking directly at her, because she did the same movement as he did, clearly curious. "Momma ? Whose this ?" they had no idea they had a new brother. "Is he the boy you kept speaking about everytime you came back from vacation ? the one from the painting ?" Great did she have to mention that ?

Of course she had to bring it up because when their mother, Snowfeather, or their Aunt Blackie went to Arendelle they always spoke about the beauty of the Crown Princess, and the young boy named Mark who had the look of a protective predator. Serena poked her head up as Snowfeather laughed a sharp ring of laughter, possibly the first time Mark had ever heard her laugh. "Is this Mark, Momma ?" Serena asked

"He looks better then what Aunt Blackie said!" Serenity said a happy tone to her voice, she seemed to be gearing up to pounce mark in a hug.

Mark blushed dark as Serenity noticed him. Slowly he moved away from Snowfeather to offer a small nod of the head in greeting. "I...I'm Mark." he said as calmly as he could before noticing the position of Serenity, ready to pounce him. He shifted one of his feet slightly, now easilly able to sidestep her pounce should she decide to follow through with it.

And ready to pounce she was. But before she could do so Snowfeather spoke up, "Girls, Meet your brother, Mark, Mark, your sisters, Serenity,' Her gaze briefly shifted to the younger twin about to pounce Mark, "Serena" the older twin, older by about a minute or so, simply waved a hi as with Marks attention split Serenity pounced him into a hug, only she missed him completely and slammed into the pole holding the roof of the golfcart dead on. the cart rattled, The girls, though feline in nature had all the strength of bengal or siberian tigers in their viens. though when she slammed into the pole she made a cute sounding "Ouchie!' type sound before pawing about for Mark, after all, new brother, new brother got a hug! it was natural!

Blinking as his new sister as she pawed at him from the roof of the cart he bit his bottom lip. "I...um...hi?" he was confused at the energy of these girls...though he supposed he could get along. They hadn't fully mastered the art of hiding their feline appearances from the outside world, and he could see them through the windows of the home earlier. He narrowed his eyes a bit before yawning; tired from the trip it seemed.

Or more from waking up so danged early! "Momma, he looks sleepy!" Serena said, but she gave Mark a gentle hug, her body mark saw, and felt, was infact covered in a thick yet also thin layer of beautiful bengal marked fur. "I'll help him to bed ?"

Snowfeather smiled and shok her head "No, Natila can do that, for now I want you two to focus on your training. Jeeves! Slashes ?" The Slashes were remote controlled four wheel drive rigs about the size of a full grown housecat. They were used for training sessions for the girls to train with and chase. After all, even humanlike tigers needed their chasing excersises!

"Ready Madam." Came the reply from the man at the door. he held a pair of radio controls in his hand as he stepped into view. as Natila guided Mark into the home to get some more rest after being so rudely woken on the ship, the sun was coming up for petes sake! A pair of little trucks sped past their feet, one of them a sickly ghostly green color, the other a pearl white. Both of them the same size, On their backpanels where the trunk of a car normally went was the girls initals, SA, for Serena, was the ghostly sickly green little truck, and SY, for Serenity, was the pearlwhite one. As Mark passed into the foyer of the massive house he heard Serenity shriek with joy and briefly saw her chasing a pearlwhite dot around the yard like a Bengal Tiger after a laserdot on the wall.

 **Six hours later**

 **That same day**

 **Marks new bedroom**

Mark had no idea what time it was, nor did he care really. He felt a lot better now, and sat up in his bed, yawning and stretching out his young, strong body, the toned muscle flexing as he stretched. He rubbed at his eyes and yawned again before shaking himself awake. He'd taken off his shirt before hopping into the bed, and he sighed as he flopped back down on to his back; his room was rather cold.

 **Bonk** rang at his door, not a human or feline knock either, like something bonked against the door. Each door had a cat door in it, normally Snowfeather used it with the RC trucks to find her girls. Each room had one, and when one was sleeping inside it, the smaller door was locked with a magic. Normally set when the door was closed. **Bonk** What sounded like springs reacting when something hit the ground after flying off a wall were heard with a gentle slicing sound. A quiet sound.

Almost like a cat ? A light went from red to green next to the doornob as the lock was disengaged, Apparently either Natila or Snowfeather unlocked it, most likely the former. Suddenly the flap opened and a pearlwhite Slash was in the room darting like a crazy cat in the room on the floor, its front tires like eyes, there was a camera mounted on the front of it.

The room started to warm up a bit as the little car bonked into a few things, one of them an empty dresser before making its way to a prebuilt ramp and shooting up it to the ceiling track and darting off, the thing was designed to take a beating in the first place, called Bashing. This rigs durasteel body and frame was sealed and waterproof, even breakproof, and given the time the two girls had these things, exactly nine years, they worked as if they were brand new!

With a sudden purring noise the little Slash4x4 bounced off its track onto a down ramp and hit the floor on all four tires with a slight slice noise as the springs and shocks did their job well.

It was then of couse the little car was looking directly at Mark, It seemed to jump on its shocks, as if in joy that he was awake. The blistering heat outside had forced the girls inside to train more, and apparently this little rig wanted Mark to join them! It bounced forwards, then turned and shot for the door, then backked up and looked towards Mark before bonking into the door, which again was sealed shut as the red light was on again once the truck was inside his room.

Mark watched the incessant movements of the small contraption as it raced around his room with a mix of emotions; partly annoyance, partly amusement. As he felt the room heat up he slowly got out of his bed and put his shirt back on, keeping his brown eyes on the RC car thing while he did so. He was barefoot, and he stared into the camera on its front while slowly walking towards it, curious as to what it was, and how it worked.

Naturally, he therefore wanted to take it apart and then attempt to put it back together. Catching it was going to be a different challenge entirely, however. He narrowed his eyes. He wasn't anywhere near as agile as the girls he would come to know as his sisters, but he was agile, particularly agile for a young boy. He lacked patience still, however, which prevented him from doing the smart thing and waiting for the thing to come to him so he could catch it easier.

As soon as the light on the door turned green he darted for the thing, knowing the Slash would dart through it he ignored trying to grab it as he swung open the door and took off down the hall after the thing, narrowly avoiding servants and obsticals such as pedastals with vases or other things that might be in his way with subtle movements that allowed him to slip past them no closer than an inch away. He handled corners remarkably well, and his eyes were peeled on that Slash. As it came upon one corner however he wasnt ready for the servant to be there so he had no choice but to turn wide, and run up and across the wall for a good ten feet while he turned himself to keep chasing the Slash.

Eventually he'd leap and catch it, or miss it. Either way, he'd sit there on his stomach, panting.

Even the Slash wasnt expecting the servant, a maid, whose name not even Jeeves remembered well enough, most called her Min, which might have been her name. the Slash slammed on the brakes as Mark went wide, waited all but two heartbeats and somehow ended up chasing him ? After blasting through the now opened door, the Slash had taken off down the hall, up a flight of stairs, down another fli... well more like off a railing less walkway for balance practise to the floor below; once again on all four tires with Mark right behind.

It was as if the little truck seemed to know what Mark wanted to do, after all Mark had never seen such technology and the Girls trained daily with the little things. By the time Mark had stopped the truck had either completely gotten away, or not... **plonk** the Slash somwhow sliced onto him and just sat there, of course it was four pounds or so of raw energy ready to fire off like a shot. its tires, though could look hot from the wood and title it had driven on like crazy leaving little tracks in the flooring. But it actually was quite cold to the touch due to being filled with liquid nitrogen.

"Oh good! I thought you were up! I see Slash found ya too!" Came a young girls voice. It was Serenity, she was on her own bed looking down at Mark, her face in thick bengal tiger patterned fur her eyes had a soft yet almost laughing look yet she was excited! "Did you have a good run ?" As she spoke she reached down and picked up the Slash off Mark before setting it on her low desk which had everything needed to care for it, charging port for the battery system, tools for cleaning, everything was there. Even paints and some brushes to touch up the body "You like it ?" She had no idea that Mark wanted to take it apart. But the good news was, they were getting more later that day, and some he could even paint, which prompted a question "Do you like making things by chance ?" There was an array of paints also set up on the low desk, along with more plastic bodies to go on the frame of the Slash.

Mark grunted as Serenity took the thing off of his back. He thought about swiping it from her hands but decided against it. He had to supress a laugh however as one of the maids screeched about finding footprints on the bloody walls. He failed however, and let out a laugh anyway, rolling onto his back before sitting up and turning towards Serenity. "I...prefer putting things together? I guess that's making stuff?" he shrugged. A thin layer of sweat had permeated on his skin, but he was already back to normal breathing.

"I...don't remember your name..." he said, looking to Serenity with a faint blush on his cheeks.

Serenity smiled, her razor sharp teeth briefly glittered as she instead of holding out a hand... or in her case a paw... to shake, she instead pulled Mark into a hug, "I'm Serenity, Serena's with Momma I think ? But Natila said to see if you are up because we're gonna go to Stuidio in about an hour, after lunch; to get some more Slashes. these. We use them to train and in my case scope out where I'm going to go into before going in myself. So to speak." Serenity said.

"When Aunt Blackie spoke about you in her stories of her adventures up north and to the West and East, she always mentioned a boy, and let me tell you, her stories dont do you justice, you're better then what I always tried to imagine!" Serenity seemed truly happy to have a brother her age! Sure she had her twin sister, but that was sometimes like talking to a mirror and answering your own questions, it was weird at times!

The Stuidio that Serenity had mentioned was one of many warehouses and hobbyshops for those who were into the hobby, the Assassins used typical smalltown and big name hobby stores for supplies and equeipment, such as the Traxxas Slash RC rigs the twins used, they went once a week for parts, extra bodies, paint, heck even more batteries. That was why Serenity wanted Mark to go with them, to pick out his own. It was gonna be a fun family, that was for sure.

 **19 June 2044**

 **Zakazik Egypt**

 **Sixteen years later**

 **Internal correspondence to Snowfeather from Mena Garden City Distrct, Egypt, decoded from original**

 _Relay to Snowfeather, Natila Mir in the Darkness._

They had been training for this. As far as Serenity was concerned it was what her Slash was for. Servailance, scouting ahead, you name it. But as a child growing up, it was a toy that grew with her, literally, every few hours or so she'd upgrade it, change up the battery type for different areas of the house. The cameras had been upgraded or changed over time as well. After all their target had changed too, grown with the city. it was one of the newer, more recently 'updated' District of the massive city of Cario, connected by all sorts of roads and hoverlanes. They were in their family van, it, just like their Slashes had been upgraded with time. "You three up for this ?" Snowfeather asked.

It was a rescue mission. their first stealth mission at that. their target was two people, Natila lived there for a few years, and she wanted out, the secrets she had found when living there, as part of her orders, made her want out fast as possible, the girls nodded, almost nochalantly Serenity reached through the open door of the van and set her Slash, Slicer, on the pavement, the range had been greatly upgraded to three miles, and the camera had full intigration with the vans holovido systems. "I need not tell you what Natila found out, or why she wants us to get her out unseen. Serenity, you're on scout duty. Serena, fishing lure. Mark, infiltration. Do _not_ get seen, if you're spotted, or found in any manner, get out fast do not look back or come back directly to the house, Got it ?" Snowfeather sat in the front seat of the van as Serena stepped out.

The holovid showed everything Slicer saw, "Road's clear, go for it. Back window it looks like, might be second floor though" Serenity said to her brother. She'd taken to mark faster then Serena had, yet they all got along well. They had even taught Mark the art of "Quiet as Cats" walking skills too! Serenity smiled, "Ready ?"

Mark said nothing; only lounged about in the back of the van for a while. He clicked his tongue twice in response to Snowfeather's question as to if he was ready. His mimicry of birds had already begun to take its more advanced stages. Not to the stage where he could summon Ulnaus yet, but to the point where he knew which birds were common in which areas during certain times of day, week, month, and year. He'd know which calls to use and when to use them.

"Second floor back window...got it." he said before leaving the van without a noise, raising his hood as he stepped into the dark street and immediately began to move through the grounds of the manor they were infiltrating. Ignoring the front gate he hopped a wall and landed in a bush, hidden from view. He put a finger to the earphone in his left ear, the mic on his wrist activating as well while he whistled low; the signal that he was both inside of the manor, and that they could pull away if they need to.

He moved his wrist out in front of him and activated the wristphone's holomap, seeing the layout quickly before dousing the light. He focused, and opened his eyes, the flash of bronze allowing him to see the basics of what Eaglevision offered him. He could see the outlines of everyone moving around; and their intent if they caught him. He could see the landscape and nodded slowly before edging slowly out of the bush on his stomach, his dark green coat helping him blend in with the underbrush and grass in the low light of the night.

He looked up and slowly got up onto his feet, staying crouched as he moved, slow and deliberate.

Directly ahead of Mark was the open window, there was only one guard there, but with the guy distracted by something on his radio, the path was quickly cleared, Like a silver cat, Slicer shot through the window and disappeared. On Marks holomap a silver dot appeared, indicating his sisters Slash4x4. No larger then a common housecat, which were infact quite common in Egypt, hell the country pretty much still worshipped the things at this point in life. Taht and the holographic disguise system worked as expected, and hoped. Which meant that Slicer didnt appear to be a truck, no, just a fat cat of pearlwhite.

Serena's voice rang out on the radio "Six guards in front, another five on the rooftops over the frontside of the building. I see a window I'm going in, looks like an office." The dark haired twin looked ther part of a resident and easily passed two sets of guards in groups of people moving in the street before ducking into the winodw into a storeroom of sorts. "I'm in. Whose our other target ?"

"Natila is the primary objective, getting her out safely is the goal, the secondary target is most likely with her" Snowfeather replied, she moved the van with traffic as Serenity continued moving Slicer around the massive building. "Mark, once inside take the firast set of stairs you see upwards to the third floor and then take the first door on the left, yes its a broom closet, but there's guards on that floor heading that way. If you hurry you can make it before they round the corner for the stairs." Snowfeather said. "Or if you want you can scale the wall to any third floor window you find open and forget the broom closet" Snowfeather then relased as she corrected herself just how good her son was at improvising

Slicer purred past two patrols of four men each on the second floor until finding the dumbwaiter, using the hacking software Serenity locked into it. "We're in their grid. I got control of third and second floor cameras. one unlocked broom closet coming up!" So far so good. Snowfeather parked the van a good half mile away in a mostly filled parking lot before getting into the backseat with her daughter, putting on her own headset she took over the camera controls while Sernity continued looking for Natila with Slicer.

However it was short lived as merrily as the mission was going Slicer halted as Serenity spotted their target. "uh oh." She said over the radio, "We might have a small problem"

"Define small" Came Serena's calm voice, from a bathroom where she just gutted a guard who tried to get the drop on her.

"Found Natila's room, four guards in the hall, not moving. Slicer's not set for gunnery duty. Just scout duty. One shot from anything and we're done for scoutwise" It was clear that Serenity didnt want to risk losing Slicer, after all she grew up with the Slash4x4 all her life!

"What floor ?" Serena asked

"Third" came the reply

"Wonderful, I'll pickup Slicer on my way by, there's a guard shift, I'm on duty in five." Serenas said, a smirk clearly evident in her tone

"You didnt" Snowfeather said, her voice one more of slight confusion

"Yes Momma, I did." Serena explained the pounce of the guard, and now wearing her uniform, "Shift is in five minutes, guarding one door on the third floor, I'm the lure remember, besides, if there's four guards watching Natila's room, is she inside ?"

"No, the room is empty, Though what she found out may be in there" Serenity replied, the infared sesnors never picked up life inside the room, only the four guards. Slicer took off down the hall away from the guards. Those four men were armored with older AK weapons, old stuff too, outdated as hell.

"Alrighty I got work to do, see you guys at home." Serena said

"I want Slicer home tonight; you know that!"

"Relax Mark's got this. I'll get the duty within the room, you guys worry about everything else." Serena said, just like they had practised. Mark not only had to get Natila out, but her second package, plus Slicer. Then again all Mark really needed to do was change a battery and let Slicer bolt for freedom

Mark rolled his eyes a bit, leave it to him. But then again, it was his job to get in and then out. "So... third floor." he said, grabbing a guard by the foot and dragging him into the bush before letting his hidden blade slip into the man's skull from the base of the neck, killing him silently. He retracted his blade and slowly exited the bush before moving towards the manor. He intentionally left the man's hand out of the bush to cause a distraction so that he could get out of the complex without too much of a fuss while the guards were panicked.

He easilly scaled the wall and got to the third floor window. Slowly opening it and silently getting inside he immediately got on his belly and slowly crawled down the hallway without a sound or even an air disturbance. He narrowed his eyes. "At a hallway... left or right to the target room ?" he asked over the radio.

"First door on the left" Came Serenity's voice. "I got full control of the security systems. From look of things your handiwork has yet to be found, we got five minutes at this rate." Serenity was typing on a holographic keypad and viewing a full 3d model of the building.. Once through the door was another hall that split into two directions. Serenity hit a map view key and focused on the floorplan, "On your left should be a vent system entry, its the fastest shot to Natila, and apparently sealed with antisound foam too. A bomb could go off in their air systems and they'd never hear it" Serenity said, stifling, and also failing, at keeping her laughter unheard.

"Don't give me any ideas, mother would kill me." he grumbled as he entered the vent and crawled through it, using his eagle vision to keep sight of where he needed to go. Upon finding it, he surveyed the room after taking the vent cover off. Only one guard, female, good height, possibly the strongest person on the grounds. Too easy. Mark only smiled as his fingers silenly curled around the edges of the vent like something out of a horror film, and he slid his way into the room like a parasite, falling into a flip where he landed silently behind the guard. A wicked grin began to spread across his face as he came up behind her. There was a table not two feet away from her side... perfect.

He then moved quickly. Within a flash he kicked out her leg at the knee, and then grabbed her head before forcing her mouth open and then making her try to eat the corner of the desk, knocking a few teeth loose. Without hesitation, he silenced her muffled scream with a slam of his foot on the back of her head, the end of the table's corner meeting his boot on the other side of her throat.

"Target accquired; anything else you'd like me to do for you this fine evening?"

By now the missing guard had been noticed, and the entirety of the guard force had shifted towards the back of the house to search for the perpetrator. Predictable and dumb these ones. Mark hoisted his targets over his shoulders and slowly exited the room.

"Battery change, Slicer's waiting right outside the room, careful, there's sensors. One sec." the sound of muffled thuds were heard as Serenity used her Slash and went into the fent and upwards to the ceiling, dropping out in nearly perfect domino effect, nailed four of the five guards, one of them was shot by his fellow with a silenced sleep dart. "Ok, coast is clear!" A thud sounded at the door as Slicer bonked into it.

Natila was asleep thanks to a sleeping pill in her coffee; absolutely dead to the world, her information stored on a holodisc on the table the now out cold guard laid next to. "Nice shot" Came Serenity's voice seeing the results when Mark opened the door and Slicer darted in. "I think you got her. Man that is gonna be a headache I dont plan to envy. Front door's open. We're on our way. I still have control of the security grid." All that was left was a battery swap for Slicer and they were home free

Mark knelt down to Slicer and quickly changed out the battery. He shifted Natila so she wouldnt fall off his shoulder, and then secured the battery in its place in the Slash before pocketing the old one. "Lead the way." he said calmly, patting Slicer gently before standing.

Slicer bounced twice and Serenity's voice was heard "Lets do this!" Like a shot the pearlwhite Slash bolted from the room leaving no indication it was even in there, unless one looked for burnt rubber under a dead to the world guard. With Mark on its tail Slicer lead him through the complex to the exit as the family van pulled into view, the dakr blue Transit hovered off the ground a half meter. the door slid open and Snowfeather jumped out to help get natila safely inside.

Serenity leaned out the opened door and reached down to pick up Slicer setting it in a basket of sorts "got it ?" She asked,

But before Mark could answer her mother said, "Get us out of here Serenity, Serena said she'd meet up with us later." Serenity nodded and climbed into the driver seat, setting Slicer, basket and all, on the passenger seat and pulling the van from the sidewalk as Mark closed the door safely inside.

"That was easy!" Serenity said

"Not entirely" her mother corrected, "Until Natila is awake we cant go through what she found on the holodisc."

Well, that sucked

Mark looked to the sleeping woman. "Well I'm not waking her up. I have a hard enough time waking you and Serena up in the mornings." he grumbled as he went to the back seat and kept watch to make sure they weren't being followed.

Serenity smirked, true, waking up a sleeping cat never was a good idea. Even if its your sister.

 **Four hours later**

 **Zakazik Egypt Assassin Den**

Natila had woken up, and when she did, the entire compound knew. What she had found concerned a kingdom in the far north. Something about the place triggered similar events in America to happen apparently. Which soon found Serena home quicker then expected. Taking the long way home Serena arrived about the same time her sister and brother were in the Freezer, the computer room was the coldest room in the house, colder, it was said, then a Arendellian winditer without heat. The computer serverracks lined the walls and floor, along with several racks were on wheels in the room or on tracks in the floor and ceiling. the two floor room was the center of the technology for that area

"Found more info, the encryption key is unique, one of the older codes too" Serenity said typing at a holographic keypad, the wall alight with information."Looks like a old MD5 encription hash." her fingers flew across the holographic keys, tics sounding as her fingers tapped against hard light.

"Didnt MD5 hash codes get outdated before we were born ?" Serena asked upon entering, overhearing the mere mention of MD5 made her speak up as she brought her siblings something to drink.

"You mean before mother got married nearly fifty years ago ?" Serenity asked; she used MD5 encription for her slash, hell all their slash4x4s were MD5 encription to keep them under their own control at all times! Just to turn on Slicer alone Serenity had to enter her code.

"Whatever." Came the reply "Any luck ?" the answer was a unhappy clearly not ladylike grunt from her sister. who at that moment chose to let her feline side out for a bit showing the bengal tiger woman typing at computer before taking a brief break. information scrolled across the screen on the wall..

Grumbling could be heard down the hall as Mark entered the room, his coat not on for a the moment. He paused as the cold air hit his skin, shook his head with an annoyed grumble before leaving the room. He came back a minute later putting on his coat, the thick material keeping him mostly warm in the cold room. He'd lined the inside of this particular hood with some warm fur to keep his ears warm. He lifted said hood and sat in a chair before yawning and crossing one leg over the other at the ankle.

"Serena... you got anything with caffeine? I'm dyin' over here." he shook his head before looking to his sister; if there was a stash of anything with caffeine, she'd know where it was. She was in charge of stocking everything this month, and none of them ever stocked anything in the same place twice to keep each other on their toes.

Serena nodded and held out a two liter of pepsi to her brother, knowing Mark he'd drink down half of it before even taking a breath! She turned her gaze briefly to her twin sister, Serenity was in nothing more then a simple bikini top and brown pants, her body covered in thick fur; her long feline tail rapped about her waist like a furry belt. "Try to breathe a bit when drinking, Mother said only one, make it last a bit longer" Serena had a teasing tone in her voice as she handed the pepsi to her brother, and also a Pepsi clear to her sister. Serena always chose a different place in the house to hide the stock. But sometimes Mark found it, other times, none of them found it, other times their mother found it, and then moved it so the three would have to find it.

To which she said "Sorry I took so long; Mother hid it again" She sounded almost ashamed at that, it was the fourth time _that week_ that their mother found the stock, and hid it for all of them to go berzerk to find!

"Mother is getting good at finding it, then hiding it." Serenity mumbled as she went through the already decrypted information. She snickered at what she saw "Sometimes I wondered if the CIA knew who they hired when they took you on, sending them your resume was smart. Mom was right." The information on Marks resume, along with where he'd be stationed, dead smack in Langley West Virgina alone. "Its no desk job either by look of this, got your own car, access to one hell of a weapons locker. Let me see if I can access the locker security..." Serenity, in addition to caring for, and constantly upgrading her Slash4x4, was a nut when it came to computers.

Mark chuckled and only took a few swigs of the pepsi before leaning forward to look over his sister's shoulder at what he was going to be given in the CIA. He managed a smile at what he saw. "I wonder what kind of favors I'll be able to weasle my way into getting..." he said calmly before leaning back and taking a few more swigs of pepsi.

A moment of snickering was heard from both girls before Serenity gave a cry of triump that sounded like a newborn tiger cub yelling for its mother. "I'm in! Oh my. This is nothing like what we got." She went through the list, the weapons locker for the CIA was scant info sure for the outside naked eye, but from what Serenity could easily access with her skills, and technology. she accessed Marks level "Mother must have set this up. According to this your CIA Authorisation code is one step below the CIA directors own code. Either mother or Aunt Blackie set this up." Serenity said

Serena stared at the wall as the info scroll on it "Wait, didnt Aunt Blackie say there was one of us already working in America with the CIA ?"

"Yeah guy named Mike, cant find anything on him, just a name, Mike" Serenity replied, Marks car, a souped up Toyota Supra was normally something one would find in a illegal street race. Serenity hissed seeing the color "Hope you can tweak the paintjob. Lime green is not my color" Serena snickered, her own Slash4x4 was a ghostly smokey glow in the dark green color.

Mark shivered. "Lime Green? First thing I'm doing is making it Dark Forest." he growled before twisting the cap back onto his pepsi bottle and wheeling himself over to the side of his sister, scanning over everything. "Very nice... I'm not being given run of the mill weapons either; .45 calibur minimum... enough power to put me on my ass easy." he said smoothly. He scrolled a bit before stopping and laughing like a mad man, highlighting one of his weapons. Abbriviated only as B.50.C. He eventually calmed down. "The fools gave me access to an anti material sniper rifle. I can take out trucks with a few inches of armor on with that thing." he scooted away and spun happily, giggling like a fool.

"I'm going to have too much fun."

"Hehe" Came a giggle from Serena, "Look at this" she hilighted some of the mobility units. She activated a image link, and something akin to the demon love child between a steel ram trailer and a F1 racecar was seen. "Dont we have a few of these ramp cars already ? This one exactly is on your keyring."

"He's got access to a flip car too ?" Serenity grumbled, she shivered remembering that wreck. "Remind me not to piss you off when you're driving it" the last time they'd faced such a rig they ended up in the Nile and barely managed to save their van and all its electrionics within it

Serena continued down the list. "And you have access to an armored personel carrier, looks like a Crowd mover too, one of those tracked jobs"

"A tank ? You get a tank too ?" This was just getting better and better! "Alright, gimmie the steak, nice and raw"

Serena just started laughing at the last car, a really crappy thing too, an old honda civic, from the early ninties. "A sixty year old piece of junk" Serenity started choking on her Pepsi Clear

"Wonder if they'll let me keep any of it after I leave. The Brotherhood could use a Tank." he said calmly. "I'll likely be driving that civic most of the time unless I know I'm going offroad, in which case...the flip car. That Toyota...maybe I'll use it to pick up chicks." he smirked at the sock to his arm that that earned him, but he didn't care. He knew his mission wasn' to get girls; but hey, if he could do so in the process that'd be cool. He rubbed his chin gently, some stubble growing at the moment.

He looked to his sisters before jutting his chin out for easier inspection. "You guys think I should grow my beard out? It's itching like crazy and I think it'd be easier to hide if I had one...chin warmer, since y'know I don't have fur like you guys."

"If you got it flaunt it!" Came Serenity's laughter filled quip before a sudden WHACK was briefly heard as Serena socked her sister. "Ow hey!" of course it was more like a love tap compared to what Serena and her twin could really give out. the last guy that they faced had a good chunk of his body missing when they were done with that fight.

Serena spoke up after quieting her sister "I think it could work, according to the information, you're a transfer from Cairo branch of the CIA for a one year international agreement. Same access, same office, so to speak. We got a Den five miles from Langley headquaters there, that'll be where you'd stay I think, unless mother says other wise." It all depended on what their mother said on this misson. "But dont hurry to pack, we still gotta decrypt the holodisc" Serena said.

"Speaking of which, we're at ten percent, man, this system of encryption is outdated, and older then shitfuck." Serenity grumbled, typing on the holokeys she brought up what was decrypted thus far. "Whoa... A... map ?" It was a map, but written in weird writing Serenity couldnt understand, It turned out to be Kudzul. really really really old Kudzul. But it was what the map was that told an entirely different story

It was an underground map. Of London

Mark's eye went to the the Kudzul, and he blinked. "This... I this is familiar..." he said calmly. He leaned in a bit before trying to pronounce some of the runes; translating them while he could. He could get one out of every thirty words in the coding, not bad considering that the last time he saw the language was before he left Arendelle. He sighed and then shook his head. "No clue what the rest says." he said with a sigh, opening his pepsi and then taking a swig. He put his feet up on the side of the desk and sighed.

"Wait, there's more" Serenity hit a key and the map zoomed out, it was interlinked with others, several levels of each map apparently were all connected, like a messy web. It didnt make sense

Serena pointed out a link, since their system was both holographic keys and touchscreen she reached to the wall and touched what looked like a link another map opened up, this one detailing rooms, "This looks like a vault, or a underground city." She said

"Yeah, but Under London ?" Why there ? The notice went off of decryption complete by then "So let me get this right, the Templars are collecting maps ?" Serenity asked aloud This mission just got a whole lot harder as Serena spotted another link in one of the maps, this one under Washington DC in america, upon clicking it she found more interlinked rooms and tunnels. "Underground railways, ages old too by look of it"

"Oh my" Serena said, "If Mark cant translate it, then this is a dead langauge for sure; can you save a copy to mothers discblades ?" Serenity nodded, "Are you doing it ?" Serena asked

"Should I be ?" Serenity Asked

"You should" Serena replied

"So I am" Serenity said typing in a few commands. A second later and their mother appeared on the wall in a small part of the massive screen.

" _OK kids, whats going on ? My discblades were just activated/i" Snowfeather looked more confused then unhappy. Though she smiled then seeing the info, "iGood, Marks application went through..._ " Snowfeathers gaze turned towards Mark, " _Son. this mission to the CIA is a yearlong venture, Screw this up in any manner, any of your missions, you get recalled here without warning, however, until a year is reached and you are not summoned, you are to return home as per agreement. Understood ?_ " Snowfeather wasn't happy of seeing the underground maps, to her it looked like the Templars were planning an attack. Finally her gaze softened and she asked. " _Are you ready... Son ?_ "

Mark said nothing, even as Snowfeather appeared on the wall screen. He turned to look at her, however, his face as stern as her tone. He nodded at the softening of her gaze. "Of course, mother. But you didn't raise me to fail, so you've nothing to worry of." he smiled softly, the same smile that frequently softened even Blackmane's gaze and got Mark generally what he wanted. In this case; he used it as a sign of trust, or as a request for trust.

Snowfeather nodded, " _even in this day and age, the CIA use older technology to keep from being hacked, or worse, old technology is reliable, yet also useful even if outdated. MD5 encryption covers everything at the CIA, and you have full access, Thanks to your aunt._ " Snowfeather said, glancing briefly off screen. " _As of now, you're head of the CIA, in rank, but not name. you have full access to everything, however, it is only a year long... internship. According to the files you're the second in command of the Cario CIA section here. Full control over everything. Serenity, you are the connection for Mark, if he needs anything and cannot access it with his key, he calls you, and you get him cleared for it._ " Serenity nodded as her mother gave the orders, " _Serena, you are the information getter, when Mark contacts you for information on your targets over this period, you get it to him fast as you can. We live in a digital age, using said technology will not only aid us, but also give Mark a clean completion record._ "

Serenity smiled, now came the fun part. She said nothing as her mother continued. " _Mark has less then a week to get aquainted with the CIA here, I've patched him into the main offices, they're expecting him, Serenity, you know what to do. Hook us up._ " Serenity nodded and got busy. Securing first a taxi, driven by the Brotherhood, so it was free for Mark to use; then she patched in, effortlessly to the camera network within the building. never hurt to be prepared.

 **Approximately 1.2 million years ago**

 **Unknown location**

 **Dawn**

These beings were old; older then all things. They oversaw many things, time among them. They didnt speak, yet they altered reality to think they'd spoken...

One said; Is it wise ?

Another replied; Yes

Another said; But one so untrained, so young should not face the horrors the Wolf Queen created.

Another said; And so it seems one so young, so untrained cannot face the Necromancer ?

The first to 'speak' spoke up; What does iShe/i say about this matter ?

Another who had yet to say anything said; Send Diamond, send Xeir Zith to Him to train and learn, those are Her words

The first to speak spoke anew; Send both ? What is she ? Out of her Light ?

The rest 'looked' to the first, One said; It is not our place to question Her commands

The first to speak seemed to nod at this; Very well, we will send both of them to Voi to begin their training. They must be made ready to face the horrors

Reality shifted as one by one the strange beings faded away as if they had never been, which they werent there to begin with

 **Voi, Africa**

 **One week later**

 **1.2 million years ago**

The gemstone glittered in the slender palm as a stronger more aged hand took it. It was their orders. The slender hand belonged to that of a young woman, beside her was another; both women had white hair, but one of them had silver eyes, whereas the other had a odd ice blue hazel. Holding the germ the man regarded them carefully, "I see, so you carry a glowing gemstone, what, you think it gives you power over others ? To what gain, why are you here ?" To say the man was unhappy made sense.

"We are here because we were told that you could teach us to fight." Said the silver eyed woman. both women wore white offset with sliver, yet the younger of the two had hints of green and some blue to her clothing and hair., at the base of the younger womans neck, where a pendant normally hung on any other womans neck, was a beautiful diamond scale.

"Oh ? Me teach you to fight ? The same two women like you that already handled the Voi riffraff as it is! Yes, rumors float because of you two causing trouble in many an inn." The man replied, "And then coming here! Of all places! My own men you bested! And you want me to train you to fight ?" the man looked at them both "Give me a good reason why I am to do as you ask!"

The two traded looks. "Mother said so" Said the silver eyed one

"Your mother ?" The man repeated, he looked thoughtful, he turned around, his back to them as he went to the nearby desk, he held a hand over the stone, words floated in runes off it briefly, the man sighed, deactivating the stone he spoke. "I am not on her popularity list, infact, I am rather... unwanted by her for anything after the... incident." the man said, one of his Brass Kobolds had set off a stink bomb in Light's palace, even admitted to it too. which earned him a ousting from his mothers court.

"It was because of me" the silver eyed woman replied, both girls looked forlorn at the mere thought of the stinkbomb they had set off as children a hundred years ago and their mother being unhappy with their uncle Jarius because of it.

"Xeir, we agreed, we both did the deed. But Tu Wing knew the level of trouble we'd get into if Mom found out the truth, so he took the blame." The other said giving her apparent twin a sharp look.

"And look what happened Dia" Xeir Zith replied; turning to her sister and friend. "Uncle Jarius was ousted from Mothers Court, We saw it happen, now mother sends us to him to learn to fight ? Why ?"

"I would ask the same thing" Jarius replied, he set the stone on the desk and turned to face them both. "But it is not my place, nor is it yours, to question your Mother's orders, or requests. Understanding them would take years, even when doing them right away. How long has it been since we last saw each other ?"

"A hundred years," came the soft, forlorn reply, Xeir Sith had her head bowed, she couldnt look at her uncle, Diamond however kept her head up, but her eyes averted. Jarius for a moment had fire in his eyes,. but seeing how the two were acting about an incident that was a hundred years old made the fire go out.

He sighed then "Very well. If Mother wants me to train you both, then so be it, I wont question her orders." He said, both girls looked at him as he held up a hand. "Under one condition; we forget about the past. Mother also sent a summons with her orders to teach you. I will let Tu Wing show you the grounds, and help you get situated, while I go see Mother. You may apologise to him if you so wish, he seems to have moved on from the ordeal. He is not exactly quick to anger, yet he is a hard teacher and good sparring partner." Jarius said; a soft smile on his face as the girls faces brightened considerably.

 **Voi, Africa**

 **400 years later**

 **1.2 million years ago**

 **Tsang District**

 **Dawn**

It had been four hundred years since they started learning, and finally after one heavy workout of a hard week, just into the new year, it found Xeir Zith on her own, in a tavern. the outdoor eating area mostly empty, a few patrons. A waiter brought food to tables when requested, and served wine to those who called for it. As she had just sat down the waiter came over to her, after taking her order, the Silver Dragon looked around the place that she could see down both directions of the street.

A group of young men came in and sat at a nearby table, all of them talking loudly, "Are you crazy ? That thing musta been easily a hundred meters, maybe even a few dozen more then that! What class would you call it ?"

"Wake class possibly" Said another of the merry group, they called for wine

"Nah, Wake class is much too small, maybe Cloud or Wind class, the sheer size of the vessel alone proves it!" Said a third

"What does it matter ?" said the first man to speak, Xeir Zith heard every word. "Word is, the captain of the vessel is on his first visit here, and some say its an important visit for such a vessel to show up too!"

"Whats his name ?" the others asked their fellow

"Kalda, Captain Kalda some report." Came the reply. The woman in white and silver ate and drank as she lisited to the men speaking, but the name rang in her ears loudly, and it seemed to echo in her heart. Didnt her teacher and uncle say to be careful, the Silver Dragon, known as Kalda, was known to steal a certain item of whoever manages to catch his heart ?

She finished her food, left the payment and a bit of a tip, and left, heading for the docks; perhaps paying this captain a visit was in order ?

She neared an alley and halted, she felt the need to return to Jarius, her uncle, surely he'd wonder by then why she was gone so long when she said she was only going to get a bite to eat! By now she mused, he'd sent Diamond, or one of his men to fetch her. She turned back towards home, what she called home for the last four hundred years. And was conflicted, it was until the brief flash of something caught her attention, she turned. Drawn to it like a moth to porchlight into an alley path.

She soon found herself standing near a grave stone, crouching down, balancing on the balls of her feet, Xeir noticed vinery and other items covering the stone market. She used her sword to white it away, and read the date and otherwise. It was strange. She saw it more a puzzle, and felt drawn to that place, like there was a powerful item there.

Because there was.

She reached a hand to the stone, and pulled back in shock as it gave way where she touched it, folding in on itself with a hiss it revealed an item, a key. She picked it up from the pad it rested upon, the glasslike key looked like the glass steel the workers used in the forges, Whitemetal most called it, but Xeir, through her mother, knew its true name, iDuradaeden/i, an unbreakable steel used mostly in the creation of airships the Silver Dragons used.

But what did this key open ?

She stood up. staring at the key confused for a moment. then she heard the footsteps, and laughter, shadowspit! Quucking hiding the key within the folds of her dress she turned towards the owner of the voice, a hand to her hip where a hilt was seen without a blade ass she spotted a group of drunk men wandering down the alleyway. She relaxed seeing it was just a bunch of drunk men walking past.

It proved to be her undoing

As she passed, one reached out to pinch her rear end, while the others cat-called and whistled approvingly at the act. "Hey pretty woman! Come on don't walk away! You don't know what you're missin'!" one of them called.

"I'll say!" another chimed in before the group began laughing.

Xeri Zith wasnt expecting the touch, heck she wasnt even expecting the drunks to be that close to her. The leering looks a few of the men gave her made her slightly nervous yet the touch made her react. With a fast motion she smacked out and span about, pushing away the offending hand while her other hand went to the bladeless hilts at her left hip. The pale pink and white glittered in the midday light. Had these men followed her from the eating place ?

The group sniggered and laughed as one spoke up "Ooooh the babe has a bite it sheemsh!" The men were all well past drunk at this point and it was clear trouble was to be had and soon. She took a step back, one of the two hilts were removed from her hip, the blade sprang with a spark of strange magic into a simple silver blade. Like what the Guard used

As drunk as they were, none of the men were fazed at the least by the appearance of a blade. One of them grabbed a chair and while drunkenly giggling, wielding it as if he were taming a lion in a circus. "Now now, baby, let's not make this harder than it needs to be!" he said as his compatriots grabbed chairs as well, one of them breaking off chair legs to use as wooden poles to block her sword with.

Off in the distance, a male figure watched with some intrigue. It wasn't often he'd get lunch iand/i a show at the same time anymore. He was curious to see how this played out.

With a flick of her wrist she sent the first drunk to touch her sprawling against a pillar while the one with the broken chair legs advanced on her, well this didnt look too good yet Xeir Zith was a skilled swordswoman, and dealing with drunks had becomne something of a recently aquired habit she was trying to break, but still, at the Tanish Inn she was staying at as part of her training with their uncle, she had to deal with Drunks trying to come onto her, which for the most part never really worked out well for the drunks.

Another drunk threw his chair before grabbing at a metal rod and running towards her with it, she smacked him aside before dodging another thrown chair, she kicked up some dirt at another drunk before the first drunk came at her, fist swinging crazily she barely dodged but he was within her reach, out of harms way of her sword.

In short it wasnt good, in long, it sucked greatly. the drunk managed to touch her once, yet now again he was within her reach, where she didnt want him. With a chirp of either startlement or anger she smacked the man hard in the face as he reached for her left breast. Man these drunks were rather addicted to certain things when well past soused out of their minds.

That'd do it. The man stood up and within a flash had appeared behind the man who copped a feel on the poor girl. He grabbed the man by the collar and pulled hard, the shock making the man's han open, leaving her dress intact as he was thrown head over ass straight into the ground. The force of his landing killed the man. The mysterious helper straightened and drew what appeared to be an officer's sabre, which he used to quickly dispatch the other drunks in a flurry of swipes, two of them running away claiming that "Kalda had killed our friends!"

The man flicked his sword out, the pristine metal shimmering brightly in the light as the blood was flung off and he sheathed it. He turned to face Xeir Zith, and offered her his hand to shake. "I do hope you are alright? Even when drunk, I say one shouldn't grope a lady unless they have express permission." he said. Perhaps not the best greeting, but he was a sailor, based off of his attire of a black and silver uniform, the rank of Captain embroidered along the sleeves with the proper number of bars.

"Kaldakava, Captain of the Silver Eagle. A pleasure to meet you." he said, after having taken her hand and kissing the back of it gently.

She took his hand, the foce of the drunks ganging up on her, and her startlement at the first one to touch her copping a feel had broken her stance and sent to her to the ground when the drunk was pulled off her by the new comer. with the weight of the dfrunk off her her own weight kicked in and flung her to the ground as she watched the new arrival fight off the band of drunks. Was this the man the others spoke of in the tavern ?

When he held out his hand to shake, rather then shake it Xeir Zith gripped it and pulled herself to her feet. Saying simply with a soft yet shy smile "Thanks" She kicked up her sword, the blade fading away as she set the hilt to her belt next to its twin. She stared, yep, this was him alright, he had come to her rescue ?! Of all the people to meet! iDiamond is gonna want to know this guy too!/i Xeir thought before saying "Xeir Zith, student of Jarisai here in Voi" meaning her Uncle Jarius' massive school for training she and Diamond were in the last four hundred years, she smiled however, her shyness fading as he kissed the back of her hand.

The Silver Eagle... that was a Wind class vessel wasnt it ? an airship like most Dragons used in their navies ? Wait didnt her uncle have a few airships in the Wind class line ? Did Kaldakava work for her uncle Jarius ?

Kalda paused at the name of the school before nodding. "Yes...I know that place; where I leanred everything I could before leaving." he said calmly before he smoothed out a wrinkle in his uniform. "How is old man Jarius? Haven't seen him in...oh I dunno quite a while. Couple centuries." he shrugged. There was no marker for a navy on his uniform; at least, not an obvious one. Kalda was sort of a one-man show, minus his crew of course.

"Anyway; did you just eat? If not, would you care to join me for lunch? I'd love sharing my table with one as fair as you." he said, offering his arm while turning towards the transport array seal on the ground in front of him.

Xeir Zith nodded at mention of her uncle, looking quite confused however she said. "Odd, Uncle never mentioned you were one of his students" Jarious was her uncle, with Light as her mother directly, she couldnt see what navy Kalda belonged to so it made her wonder briefly who he wiorked with and for, she hoped her mother. he had a bearing like her mother had, a strong sense of honor, the fact he defended her against a dozen drunks told her that much.

It also told her she could trust him with her life as well, so when he offered to share his table with her she smiled and took his hand, with a nod she accepted his offer, two seconds later they were back at his table in a rather nice eating place she had never been to before.

He smiled and sat after pulling out her chair for her. A gentleman! He handed her a menu, having ordered before he assisted her, and then flagged down a waiter. "Your finest Draconian Wine if you have any." he said, holding up two fingers for two glasses. He smiled and looked back to Xeir Zith. "So; you're training under the old man, eh? What's he like? I'll bet he hasn't changed in the last few centuries. I should pay him a visit soon!" he smiled, a chipped canine coming into view, a scar from a previous battle.

"I have only been with Uncle for four hundred years now. At first he didnt want us there. But, after he left when we arrived he came back insisting on teaching us personally." Xeir Zith said going over a menu, written in a mix of arabic and afrikans Xeir Zith ordered for herself some spitroast with some lamb. "I think it had to do with what Mother told him. he seemed gloomy, unsmiling when we arrived, but a week passed and he was all smiles since then." The only people that knew of the truth of the stinkbomb in their home so long ago was Jarius, light, Diamond, Xeir Zith and Tu Wing, who had taken the blame for it all.

"So like I said" Xeir continued as their glasses were brought out and the wine poured. "We've been learning from Uncle directly for the past four centuries. When we hadnt seen him in a hundred years, Mother sent us to him. With a crystal for him too. Since then we've stayed in Voi to learn all we can." She said "we' who was the other she spoke of ? Someone as pretty as her ?

 _'Dask? Wer Mitne?'_ he thought; knowing that she could be the only that Xeir Zith was referring to by saying Mother with such...emphasis. His expression however remained unchanged an he smiled and nodded along with her words. After a few minutes, their food and wine was brought to them and served.

"Now..." he started, between bites. "When you say "we", who else are you talking about? Also...who is your Mother? If you don't mind my asking that is." he said, his tone polite and curious, but also with an edge to it that was extremely hard to decipher. If his hunch was correct and she was the Light's Daughter, he'd need to be careful...oh but she was so beautiful! He blinked that thought away for now. He hardly knew the girl.

"My sister, Diamond." Xeir Zith replied to the question of We, who she meant and who she had come there to Voi with four hundred years ago. Then again the bloodline wasnt exactly esablished, for all Xeir Zith knew they called each other sisters and grew up together, might as well be nestmates or sisters in the same hatching. Maybe ? She thought it made sense. As her meal arrived she was thoughtful before replying to his next question.

He had asked her her who mother was. which meant she had to be careful, she could tell Kalda was a Silver, the way he handled himself and how he acted around her showed strong honor and a good heart. "You mean you do not know Mother ? I thought all knew her ? Or of her ?" Yep that did it, just her question of him not knowing her mother, Light, was enough to prove she was indeed Lights daughter by blood. In truth she was Lights daughter, and for good reason, since Light herself couldnt do certain things, Xeir Zith and Diamond could act in her stead.

"Mother sent Diamond and I to Uncle in order to learn to survive, its been four hundred years and I feel as if I have learned only so much if that." Xeir mused as she ate her meal, the lamb was perfectly cooked, just how she liked it. "I want to thank you again for the help you gave me moments ago. Had you not shown up when you did..." She trailed off, and her eating slowed a bit, but she refocused pretty quickly and tried to think of another subject so she asked "Isnt the Silver Eagle a Wind Class vessel ?"

" _Zyak si jahus harkt..._ " he spoke in Draconian, meaning "So I was right..." He leaned back in his chair a bit while chewing a piece of meat and then sighed before swallowing. "I just so happen to be employed directly under Her. She herself gave me my ship and crew, and my orders; to simply patrol the planet and rid it of darkness by any means necessary." he said calmly.

"I am sorry, I needed to make sure you were certain of your own origins before I gave you mine. Never can be too careful in my line of work." he said. It was after that that the two finished their lunch, continued talking, and then got up to leave, Kalda having the manager put the bill on his tab which he'd pay later. He hooked his arm around hers, or let her do the same, whichever came first and he then offered her the lead. "Come, let's go see the old man, shall we? You'd know where he is during this time of day if he's training you personally." he smiled.

"You are Mothers Champion ?" Xeir asked out of the blue after they had eaten and began to walk to where Jarius had his massive compound; she had been quiet for the most part, not expecting Kalda to be employed directly by her Mother. She hadnt seen her mother in four hundred years as it was.

As they neared the Jarisai School grounds Xeir Zith started walking a bit slower, unsure of how her uncle or even her sister would react to Kalda being so close to her when she only just met the guy. it felt weird like they had a connection, was it Mothers doing ? She didnt have to worry. As they neared the main gate a zervant, a young brass armored male, directed them to the office where Jarius kept his private study overlooking a large lake.

As they arrived jarius noticed them and stepped out into the porch, the open air gazebo like structure allowed the many dragons that roosted there to do their duties as needed without troublesome walls. Jarius however had a neat little office with a single wall and five pillars. Stepping into view he smiled, seeing Xeir Zith after hearing what happened due to rumors floating in Voi after what Kalda had done. "I was starting to wonder if you were safe dear child. Mother wuold have hated me again if I had brought her news of your untimely passing." Jarius said

"It is alright Uncle, Kalda saved me. He's a gentleman, employed by Mother too. have you see Diamond ?" Jarius nodded at Xeir Ziths question and directed her to the main house. His attention then turned on Kalda as Xeir Zith left the two.

"So the Student finally becomes a Captain in Mothers employ ?" Jarius said, a smile upon his face as he stepped up to Kalda and gave him a hug. "It is good to see you again after so long, Kalda, Oh whats is this; new scarring ?" The last time he'd seen Kalda, that scar wasnt there. Jarius hadnt seen Kalda in almost a milenniena, and in that time, his school had grown, and Kalda had become a Captain of a Wind class airship in Lights employ.

Kalda shrugged. "I wouldn't use the term Champion...but...yes. I am." he said calmly. Kalda nodded to some of the guards, old friends apparently from when he used to attend the school. Upon seeing Jarius, he first saluted him the way he saluted the Light; with a closed fist over the heart before returning the hug with a chuckle.

"Indeed I do. She's granted me a Wind Class ship; though with all the modifications I've thrown into it, it should be a Typhoon Class...might want to ask Mother if I can call it that." He joked. He'd added another turret to his ship, and made the appropriate measurement adjustments as well as engine mods to help carry the added weight, which allowed for more armor to be added as well.

He gestured to the scarring on his face and to his chipped Canine tooth. "Courtesy of our dearest undead friend. One Wolf Queen if I recall from my sealing of her body and soul about...hmm, half a century ago?" he smiled and chuckled. "Come now, let's catch up! It's been too long." his attention snatched by his old friend and mentor it seemed.

Jarius smiled and called for some wine, taking Kalda by the shoulder he lead his old friend and student back into the open air study to a gazebo on the edge of the lake. Once seated at the table Jarius spoke. "When nine hundred years you reach in wondering of when you will see a friend you miss the most, let me know how it feels so I can compare it." What was a nine hundred year wait to see an old friend ? He'd been banished from his Mothers place for a hundred years, direct from Lights court, then his nieces show up a hundred years later for them to learn under him, and then also a summons to the Court, full reinstatement, appasrently Light had been told by Xeir Zith and Diamond of who really set off the stinkbomb at the time.

Jarius waved a hand though at the mere thought of memories "that does not matter now, the Necromancer may be dead, but she is still very much alive, now thanks to your work, sealed away. Mother mentioned a Kingdom to the North, but also mentioned another enemy. Someone her daughters are training to face. I can only teach so much. but they show promise." Jarius got serious then.

"What happened in town today ? Voi is abuz with word of your arrival and the death of seven drunks." Apparently the surviving drunks were only coherent to tell the words that a guy named Kalda had killed seven of their fellows when they were at a drinking party that evolved into a brief fight. None of the men mentioned Xeir Zith or the reason behind the fight, they were too scared to do so. the wine arrived on a tray with two glasses, Jarius poured two glasses and held the first to Kalda to take before picking up the second one for himself.

Xeir Zith never heard their words as she left them she went right to the main house of the massive complex owned by her uncle, the Estate was huge. "Diamond! I'm back where are you ?!" Xeir called out as she neared their wing of the massive two floor house. Jarius added onto the house almost weekly, construction rarely stopped, as it was the sounds of hammers using energy of some form were working away on a nearby wing being built, alreadt the house was basically the shape and style of a snowflake with nine points, four main points aiming the four corners of a compass, the other points either off those fouror the core of the house, theonly part of it three stories tall.

"In here" Came the call from Diamond, who stepped from their bedroom with her twin swords in hand, she was trying to figure out something concerning the blades with their Piece of Eden from their mother but couldnt get it to work "What is it Sis ? You look lovestruck"

"Me ? Lovestruck, I dont know what you mean!" Xeir lied, it was sadly true, she felt something for Kaldakava, she barely met the guy and she fell head over heels for him. Literally thanks to those drunks

"Dont lie sis, it isnt your best skill" Diamond smirked putting her twin hilts on her hips as the blades faded into golden lines of light before fading into their hilts. "I heard a certain Silver is in town, did you mneet him yet ?"

"You mean Captain Kaldakava ?" Xeir asked, Diamond nodded, Xeir just nodded to her sisters mention of not lying, "Yeah I met him; he actually saved me from a bunch of drunks in town"

"So the rumors are true then ? Kalda killed a few drunks and the others went off gibbering nonsense about it ?" Diamond asked, Xeir nodded and took her hand "Come on sis I want to introduce you to him! He's Mother's Champion too!" It was those words and the taking of her hands by her sister that Diamond wassuddenly qwuite interested in this Champion of their Mother!

"He's mothers Champion ?" Diamond stared at her sister, at Xeir's nod Diamond smiled "then what are we waiting for, lets go!" the two of them took off to where Jarius and Kalda were speaking of memories.

As their arrived their attention was taken by the holographic model Jarius had created on the stone table, it showed Voi and various areas of strange activity, it even showed apparently, Diamond and Xeir Ziths first inital arrival as well, which oddly was one week iafter/i Kaldakava had left for his summons at Light's court concerning his comission as Her Champion

Kalda's attention howerver was drawn to Diamond as the two women arrived, both Silver Dragons wereslightly breathless, but xeir was fast and said the introductions. "Captain Kalda, I'd like you to meet my sister, Diamond." As Diamond smiled andreached her hand for Kalda to gently kiss in greeting Time seemed to slow as silver and white light overtook them all.

 **1.1 million years ago**

 **100 Days before a massive fight that lasts one thousand years**

 **Kingdom of Arendelle**

 **Port District**

 **Dawn**

Before records of Arendelle was kept, every seventh day was a day of rest, regardless of where in the rest of the world it fell upon, most of the time people would answer when asked "Its tuesday" when what day it was, or "Rest Day" if nobody was working, Sometimes it fell upon a thursday, or monday. But mostly it fell on a Tuesday. This particular tuesday however had a few things of note happening, for one, two interesting ladies had paid the country a visit, For another, their Queen at the time, Queen Arenel the Third, otherwise known as Queen Arenel the Wise, had just named a new district, making the Arko District offical. Bringing the current at the time, total of Districts to thirty one with the split also of the Port and Docks districts.

It was at the port when the two ladies arrived. There were thankfully no surprises on the way, unlike in Voi the last thousand years. They had just finished their training under their uncle and were told to take their time in heading North to a kingdom called Arendelle upon leaving Jarius' Voi estate. Sure it took six hundred years, the last two hundred of which with Xeir lovestruck as Diamond called it, it was sadly true yet Xeir Zith never denied the words of her sister.

However it was as they got off the airship when Xeir noticed what her sister carried in her hand, an orante golden staff overcarved with draconical writing and designs along with ancient Kudzul writing. Seeing the Staff of Eden her sister carried Xeir held up a hand and the two stopped in the street, the massive port around them bustled crazily with activity, pointing to the staff Xeir said softly, yet tersely "Why did you bring that here ?! Uncle said the horrors lurking under and around this kingdom are after Pieces!"

"Will you relax, Sis ?" Diamond replied just as tersely and quiet. "Mother shipped it to us in Voi and said me to hide it somewhere on our trip north, No place on the route felt right to hide it"

"So why bring it here ?" Replied Xeir as the two went over to a side street still bustling with activity. "This is the least safest place to hide such an artefact as it is!"

"So ? The closer it is to danger, the further it is from harm!" Diamond replied.

"Where did you learn that ?" Xeira asked in an awed voice

"On a gate back in Voi. You wouldnt believe the stuff so easy to steal there though, but with so many people around, stealing anything in Voi wont really work out" Diamond explained.

"Ah... so why didnt you leave it there ?" Xeir asked as the two started walking again downthe lane filled with people moving about, selling wares, buying things, making things, hell the ports were full of activity and jammed with people, but it had the feeling of a proper kingdom, and amazingly, unlike Voi, it felt cooler, more temperate.

"If I left it there it might have gotten tossed out or destroyed, I couldnt let that happen." Diamond replied, "Besides, I can encode it to work with a certain family line or the like in the place I hide it, for others it wont appear or even work or just be a normal staff without any markings, but for those I encode it to before hiding it..."

"It would look as it does... makes sense. Maybe" Xeir replied, she was looking about every few steps or so as they walked

"So why here ?" Diamond finally asked after a moment.

"Kalda said he'd meet us here, didnt say why, just said 'kingdom to the north known as Arendelle' dunno why like I said." Xeir said, there was something of worry in her voice as she spoke.

"Yep, thought so," Diamond snickered as the two moved through athrong of people

"Thought so ?" Xeir asked

"You're in love silly" Diamond replied, Xeir just smiled. After about twenty minutes the two found a tavern called the Mended Trumpet and sat down at table to eat. Out of the blue afew minutes later, Diamond said. "I know its been two hundred years, but... How did you meet Kalda again ?"

"He rescued me from a buncha drunks... wh... wait a minute sis, dont think I'm gonna go as bait this time!" Xeir said giving Diamond a look

"I wasnt gonna say a thing other then two dozen drunks are looking at us both..." Diamond said calmly as she drank some wine. Her silver scales glittered on her neck and upper arms through her sleeves, the diamond that gave her her name seemed to glitter bright in the midmorning light. Xeir grumbled, wonderful, barely in the kingdom half an hour and already some drunk was gonna try to cop a feel. "Kinda reminds me of our arrival at Voi..." Xeir snickered at the memory, yeah, they did kinda ruin a tavern at the time...

Suddenly a voice piped up from behind the bar; the bartender, a stout, albiet tall man with a badly worn beard and face spoke loudly to the drunks eyeing the girls. "Oi! The only flirting that happens in my bar is done by me, understand!?" he growled out. There was an innate darkness about him, a sort of aura that screamed Death and Suffering, but he was just a drunken bartender...strange.

Soon after that, the door opened and there were cheers of greeting as Kalda walked in and socked a man square in the jaw as he ran towards him to embrace him in a hug. "Get offa me you turds. Got me some ladies to see..." the Silver grumbled before his glowing eyes landed on Xeir and Diamond, and his expression softened a bit as he walked over to them. He looked a bit different this time; in stead of a captains uniform he wore something more robe-like, regal and elegant, but in his rush to get ready to meet the girls here, he'd forgotten his captains hat, which was the only reason anyone in the bar recognized him.

"Shit...overdressed again." he said calmly as his robes faded away and became something more cloak like with a lowered hood; his cap still upon his head befor he out of habit took it off and hung it on the back of his chair as he pulled it out to sit with Diamond and Xeir. "Ladies." he bowed his head in greeting. The bartender came over, his aura sickeningly dark, but all he did was pat Kalda on the shoulder with a hearty smile and set a mug of ale down on the table, taking a swig from it first.

"Long time no see, Kalda. How long's it been? Couple centuries I think?"

"Two, Brutus. What are you up to?"

"Oh, the usual thing, the usual thing. Being a disappointment to dear old dad."

"Quite...now if you'll excuse me." Kalda's head nodded to the ladies, and Brutus dragged his coal-like red eyes to Xeir and Diamond. They flashed red for a bit before he averted his eyes and blinked, covering his face a bit with his hand, as if in pain.

"Go ahead." he said, returning to the bar.

"Now then, where were we?" Kalda turned his head back to the girls after Brutus skulked away, mumbling to himself in Draconian, which explained the dark aura's strength and the glow of his eyes.

"About to be attacked by two dozen drunks until you showed up" said Diamond in greeting to Kalda however when the drunken barkeeper brought the beer for Kalda Diamond's hand went to her nose to cover it, ioth shit he reeked of beer! However as the barkeep, now introduced, well not formally, as Brutus, Diamond continued "Hello Captain. I see you made it in time this time, Ow hey!" Diamond chirped as Xeir kicked her under the table; her eyes locked on Kalda.

"I was hoping we'd see you at the Port, but you werent there, not even your ship ?" Where was his ship anyhow ? The only word from Home was that Kalda had been sent on a mission and not to take his ship, was this part of that mission ? "When did you get here ?"

Diamond spoke up around a leg of lamb, "We just arrived ourselves. about thirty minutes ago too, was thinking it might be a repeat performance of our arrival at Voi." Xeir again snickered at the memory of that massive fight. they had no money and their uncles men were about to teach them a lesson when the pair had fought them off, asa result the tavern gave them free food and drink whenever they arrived.

The door opened as Brutus went back to the bar. Seeing who entered, a young girl, and a young boy who looked exactly like the girl aside from eye color were all but tossed inside the tavern before two people stepped in, a man and woman. Brutus, though hammered clear out of his mind whatsoever. took a very long drink of his next beer before waving a 'hi' to his sister and brother. And then sobered up instantly at sight of dear old Dad and Momma coming through the door. Of course he sobered up and instantly started choking madly which prompted his sister to do the Hiemlich on him, he spat part of the glass he'd been drinking from, he bit it off when his parents entered. The piece went sailing and bounced off the Staff of Eden that Diamond carried and was currently next to her at table with a loud DING

Kalda glanced to the staff as soon as he heard the back door open, and he growled quietly. "Houpe coi" he whispered quickly in Draconian. "Hide It." He didn't care where Diamond hid it, he wanted it out of sight. He reached for his mug and took a drink. "Why was it not hidden earlier? You bknow/b people are looking for it!" he hissed in a whisper before clearing his throat. Time to think of something casual to talk about as to not appear suspicious.

Diamond nodded, before her sister could say one word she had grabbed up her last lamb leg, as well as the staff and fell off her seat backwards into a silver and white transport pattern on the floor, swiftly disappearing to places unknown.

The rest of the bar was unawares of what was going on, and Kalda would have to answer Diamond's questions later. He changed his outfit again back to his captain's uniform to blend in as an officer in the bar for R&R, not as someone suspicious in a cloak.

" _ **Brutus, sia joork di bekir... chevips, Si tepohada charis ihk wux. Svaklar ui coi?**_ " Brutus' father spoke. "Brutus, my waste of energy... pity, I had hope for you. Where is it?"

"I-I...I don't know what you speak of, Father." Brutus gulped down his fear and stood to face his father like the young Dragon he was, and not like a coward.

Draco stepped forward and Tendrils of Shadow grabbed Brutus's arms and legs before Draco's clawed hand slipped around his son's throat. "Do not toy with me, child. I know it is here, I sense it's power. Where. Is. It?"

"I don't even know what it is..." Brutus squelched out softly. "What makes you think you know any better, or how to use it?"

Draco tossed his son to the side into a wall with a snarl. This caused a hush to fall upon the bar as they heard the crash and breaking of liquer barrels. Angry protest spouted forth. Draco crouched before his son and stared him in the eye hard. "Watch your tone, bidrot/i/b. Speak to me like that again and I'll end your disappointing existance here and now. Speak to your mother like that, and you'll face a worse fate. **_kampiun?_** " he growled. "Understand?"

Brutus' lip twitched as blood dripped from it. He showed no pain, however; either due to the lesson he'd been taught by his father, Draco, long before, or due to the alcohol inherent in his system. He didn't keep his father waiting for an answer, though, and nodded before lowing his head and eyes; submitting, basically, to his father's authority. He lifted a weak hand, and pointed towards the bar, telling Draco all he needed to know.

Draco stood and let out a growling huff. Brutus' brother and sister nodded and stepped back before tending to Brutus as Draco walked into the bar, and then ithrough/i the countertop before stopping. "Someone brought a staff into this establishment. It does not belong to them; and I have come to claim it."

Quickly Kalda spoke up. "Yer the one who broke the fekkin' beer barrels!"

Outrage personified quickly formed in the bar as the angered drunks went to work yelling and distracting the Lord of Shadows.

"Quick let's get the hell out of here." Kalda as they all rushed the Dragon of Shadows and his queen, who stood a few steps behind him. Kalda got up and went with the crowd before slipping out the front door and whistling sharply. A rope ladder fell down from the sky and Kalda turned, gesturing up the ladder to Xeir and Diamond. "Get up get up getupgetup if you want to live!" he growled quickly, stammering over his words before grabbing the rope and putting one foot on a rung and whistling again. The rope would then be raised up above the clouds in a matter of seconds, something only Dragons and a scant few other creatures could survive, and there she was: The Silver Eagle, well, she was above them, but she was quiet as a butterfly.

Kalda laughed. "Home sweet home!"

By the time Draco stepped from behind the bar Diamond had returned as if she had never left. She held up a hand and softly said to her sister "Not one word" a moment further and all hell broke loose in the tavern when Kalda instigated a fight. the woman she stared at, where had she seen her before ? Why did she look so familar ? It didnt matter, they had to bug out and fast. And there was noway they could transport out either as they'd never been there before and Diamond only transported out to the safest place she could think of. They had to hoof it.

As the fracas began Xeir stayed with Kalda as Diamond grabbed up their remaining meals portions, three legs of lamb, no use letting it go to waste! After all Lamb was Diamonds favorite food! Dashing outside a leg of lamb in both hands, and one in her mouth and more then a few in her beautiful white belt, Diamond dashed after Kalda as a ropeladder out of nowhere nearly nailed her in the face. Xeir scampered up it like a shot, never using her feet while Kalda grabbed the bottom rung Diamond jumped lightly and grabbed just above Kalda; thankfully the Silver was a gentledragon and knew his manners and never dared or tried to look up either girls dress robes.

Once aboard the Silver Eagle Diamond went to find the galley to set the food down she had still and amazingly never dropped whereas Xeir Zith was struck at the beauty of the world off the side of the vessel, and towards the prow of it too. Above the clouds, away from the bustle of the cities. For long moments Xeir just stared out at the sun above and the clouds stretching towards the mountains, there was something of the mountain not far to their north that perked her interest, it was gorgeous. "Its beautiful"

"It sure is" Diamond said once more munching on a leg of lamb as she returned to the main deck. She turned to Kalda, confused she asked him "I thought Mother's mission for you said no ship ?" It actually was the fact that his target was already in the open, the guy that destroyed the beer in the tavern down below. it didnt matter then though as Diamond waved off an answer concerning the mission and said to the unasked question. "The staff is safe. I encoded it to a nice family too; they set it up to look like something a traveler across the world uses. Infact I forgot where they live too." Needless to say the family that had it, their home was to become an Assassin's Den soon. Which then let the Staff of Eden just stay in storage safely

She took another bite of the leg of lamb and then said "Oh and aparently Mother wants to talk to you" It was sadly directed to Xeir.

"What for ?" Xeir asked

"That's between you and Momma" Diamond replied as she went to take a seat and finish eating. Her scales glittered as the light wind moved through her hair, the diamond scale seemed to glow with an inner power of pure beauty. Xeir shrugged and went to find where Light was hiding aboard the ship.

Kalda made his way to the bridge, which was on the same route as the mess-hall. "She says many things; as her champion, I still have a little bit of wiggle room as to what that means." he said simply, but respectfully, in regards to the "No Ship" rule. "Besides; I'd never go into a place this dangerous without her, the Silver Eagle's guns can put a hole clean through the body of an earth Dragon whose scales are pure crystal. No one who fights with my ship leaves in one piece." he boasted before heading over to the bridge. It was there he recieved the message from Light; he then relayed that to Diamond, who relayed it to Xeir.

He stood with his hands behind his back as he called for a status report on the ship. All systems green. "Good... and you confirm that the target is still in the pub?"

"Aye, sir."

"Tilt the ship... get me a firing solution with all twelve guns."

"All twelve, Sir ?" Twelve guns meant devesation down below.

"Our target is much older, much more powerful, than any of us could ever dream to be... give me all twelve. High Explosive Armor Piercing rounds. Now."

"Aye Sir... bringing her around."

The Silver Eagle then began to list to the left as her turrets turned slowly, the modified 500mm guns larger than any other ship in the world at the moment, or ever in history. Artificial gravity kicked in to keep everyone on their feet and to keep food from flying everywhere. "Targeting Solution accquired Sir, on your mark."

Kalda narrowed his eyes and bit his bottom lip. This was too easy; especially for his target... Kethend, the Queen of Shadows. He could hit Draco, and take out both... talk about earning Light's favor. He leaned forward and grabbed along the railing of his command podium, everyone else on the ship seemed to know what was going on, and braced themselves against something.

"Full Broadside... Fire."

The twelve 500mm guns roared as flames pushed the Silver Eagle into the sky another thousand feet and she leveled out. The rounds thundered across the sky at super sonic speeds towards Kethend and Draco's position; the Arendellian's would believe that they were meteorites of iDuradaeden/i and a gift from their God, albiet at the price of anyone within fifty meters of each shell would die.

"Get us out of here now, I want no traces that we were there, open a line to Mother once we're out of detection range of Arendelle, and someone give the gun loaders each an ale."

"Aye Sir!" with that the Silver Eagle quietly arced across the sky, heading even further North to the North pole; they'd be safe there at the skydock that Kalda had built specifically for his ship. "Docking in five hours, Sir."

"Good... once we do, establish contact with Mother... also prepare me a full report on the results of our broadside. I need to know if we did our job before I contact Mother."

"Aye Sir..."

Someone outside the bridge stopped Xeir and asked her business on the ship; upon being told that Mother was calling her, he narrowed his eyes and gestured for her to follow him to a briefing room where a slab of iDuradaeden/i sat in the middle. Light's face soon flickered upon it and she saw her daughter.

"Xeir Zith, my dear...are you alright? Did you meet up with Kalda?"

"Mother, yes. Diamond hid the staff as instructed, barely in time too." Xeir crossed her arms and rubbed her shoulders a bit before speaking anew "We're aboard his ship now. I've never been on one like this before." Xeir nodded however at mentioned Kalda. "Yes, he arrived, barely in time too. It was almost going to be a repeat of Voi" Xeir saw the edges of her mothers mouth twitch into a soft smile at mere mention of their inital arrival at Voi six hundred years before.

"This place, Arendelle, its pretty here, I like it. It... it feels like home. Oddly." there was something tugging at her though, "Mother, about Kalda... I..." She couldnt finish, how on the green earth could she tell her mtoher she was in love with her Champion ? Or had Diamond already told her ?

Light's expression turned curious before turning knowing. "You hold feelings for the boy...don't you?" she smiled softly. A pulse of warmth emanated from the slate of Duradaeden before she let out a warm laugh and smiled. "Have you not heard the rumors of those who win Kalda's heart? He always takes something away from them!" she smiled, but there was a look of happiness in her eyes, her daughter had found love! How adorable.

But there was a pressing problem... "I must stress however that these are trying times...you..." she sighed "You can't really go around doing anything, not with so little time to prepare for what needs to be done."

"Mm" Xeir replied with a nod, she knew of the rumors, Kaldakava always took something important from any that won his heart, in this case he took hers! Diamond was right, she was in love. "Yes, I do hold feelings for Kaldakava, feelings I cant ignore no matter how I try." She said softly, it was clear even to her mother that even with so little time.

Finally Xeir felt what her Mother was trying to say and asked "Mother what is it ? Why is time so pressing for me ? Why Arendelle ? What importance is this place ? What do I have to prepare for ?" Little did Xeir Zith know, but her mother had birthed and raised her for a reason.

 _At the Tavern_

 _At that same moment_

People ran screaming, some prasing their draconic gods, others swearing or coursing the skies above as hell rained down in the form of twelve huge metors raining down upon them. However it was apparently expected as they finished dealing with the crowd within the tavern the place was pretty much wrecked anyhow. kethend looked about and did not see the man who initally started the fight, her husband had his fun but she kepot him in check, most of the place was in shambles anyhow, she nolonger felt the power of the item they sought. it had vanished completly

Seeing three people missing she spoke as the fracas died down "Where is the one that began this fight ?" Her soft voice held a tinge of cold hearted strength to it as she moved among the many injured to a undamaged table. She caught the scent of three other dragons who had sat there. Weird. other dragons, in Arendelle ? Npot possi... what the fuck was that noise ? Kethend looked outside seeing people running in all directions and pointing at the sky. Seeing what was coming she called out rapidly in Draconic "Junior, Taris, fethos! Brutus... wkae svern! Draco danthe, vi moxt letoclo..." Which was translated to "Junior, Taris, shield! Brutus... wkae up! Draco dear, a little help..." while jerking her thumb upwards, meaning Shadowshield, no questions asked!

Draco turned as the last body was dragged into the abyss by its own shadow. Brutus woke up only to flee via the shadows; having had enough family time for a few millenia. Draco, Taris, and Junior all raised their hands, Draco only raising one, and around them a sort of bubble of shadow appeared. The force of the blast made Draco grunt and raise his second hand as the shadow bubble cracked before being repaired as he raised his hand.

Everything in a 150 meter radius was gone, charred to ash, and left in a big crator. "Let's go. we're leaving before they look for survivors." he said, using the shadow bubble to transport them, and one of the shards of the iDuradaeden/i shells to their home; where after dropping the bubble, the shard that followed them fell right onto Kethend's head before falling into her hand, and immediately burning her from both the sheer heat of the round, and from the properties of the metal.

Kethend shrieked as the iDuradaeden/i made contact with first her head, then her hand as she wreched the ice cold yet hotter then hell metal from her head, taking clumps of hair with it, her hand and skin burned across her body as the metal seemed to latch onto her and trie to spread, Taris in sheer panic tried to use her shadows to keep her mother dressed and thus stop the burning but it didnt work we well as hoped, it wasnt until her brother and father rushed to help did they manage to stop the fire on their mother.

But the result was still the same, even though dressed, Kethend was horridly scarred, the properties of the metal used to burn her had once burned her before she and Draco were 'married' in the sense of living together and loving each other the way most Shadowdragons do. the last time she got burnt by the metal it took nearly a hundred years to heal from the burns to her face. But these burns were ten times that, and even more across her body as a whole. In short, it was gonna take longer to heal from the burns, in long, her life at that moment absolutely sucked.

All but crying she fell into Dracos arms, barely able to stay on her feet. her strength sapped from her from the strange mystical ice cold yet burning metal.

Draco's arms came up to caress his beloved gently as his eyes went around her body before looking upwards to the sky. Those were no meteors. Draco looked down to Kethend and picked her up in his arms. He turned to his children and let out an authoritative snarl as he began to sink into the ground through the shadows. Last time this happened to Kethend, he didn't know how to heal. He'd put her in a healing chamber to rest for a while, but ultimately wouldn't be able to do much to keep her there if she didn't want to stay.

And knowing his wife, she wouldn't stay long.

She, like he would, want revenge, and soon.

 _At the crater edge_

 _At that same moment_

The ruins of the old Zer district smoked with heat and motel rock. the iDuradaeden/i. rounds hasd exploded as expected, burning and blasting apart everything within a hundred and fifty meters of the center of each shell. Nothing was still standing that wasnt burning, or burnt. the crater itself went at least the same depth of a hundred and fifty meters. Steam rose from the very bottom of each shell impact spot as water struggled to froth from under the burning and melted rock. the young Silver Kobold, a young thing named Asaca with bright green eyes raised her hand. the heat of the metal cooled rapidly as water and salt mixed, steam rose and the water frothed madly as the crators became small ponds as if nothing was amiss.

Using her magic Asaca also rebuilt the damaged homes and businesses along the edge of the ponds and even built fences and benches around each pond. even small beaches, the water was going to remain odfdly warm for a few centeries for certain. Satisfied that nothing was amiss Asaca began writing on a crystal the report as requested, quickly disappearing into a crowd of people who had witnessed the fire from the sky she quickly disappeared and soon flew away from the kingdom of Arendelle, taking swiftly to the sky

About four hours later she landed and shifted to her human form aboard the Silver Eagle. She had with her a full report, the damage was done and yet the result was beauty in its place. "As expected Captain, nothing survived the Eagle's wrath." Asaca said softly with a bow she presented her captain with the crystal, "The report as requested, I could find no trace of our target before using my magic to make the ruins and burnt crators appear as simple ponds and fountains."

Diamond however arrived in the bridge, not far from where her sister spoke with their Mother in a sealed room, clearly confused Diamond asked out of the blue "Did the ship just fart ?" the question made Asaca smile slightly that was one way of putting it.

Kalda was in his office just next to the bridge. He was writing away in a journal before he looked up as Asaca came in. He stood and saluted her a bit before taking the crystal, smiling. "Thank you, Asaca, you've done well...You deserve a juicy steak for dinner tonight...all of the crew do. Give this to the chefs in the mess." He said, writing down the orders that everyone aboard was to be given a large steak for dinner that night cooked to perfection. He handed her the order and smiled, nodding to quell her happy, astonished look. Kalda treated his crew very well, and as a result, they performed better than he was told they would by Light. He also drilled them constantly, which helped immensely under tense circumstances.

He entered the bridge shortly before Diamond did and chuckled at her comment. "No, Diamond. We fired a full broadside with our guns at my target. Sure sounds that way now that you mention it though. I hope you and your sister are haveing a good time on the ship so far?" He asked as he pocketed the crystal with the report. He'd read it in a bit when he had more time.

"So far so good" Diamond replied as she grabbed a chair, her face wrinkled however when she took a bite of the lamb leg she had, "too much salt, I thought I told the guy at the tavern no salt!" Diamond loved lamb, it was basically the only thing she really hunted and flew off with when she flew about as a Dragon. She went quiet however as Xeir stepped from the more secured room after speaking with their mother. "So, how'd it go ?"

"Not as good as hoped" Came the soft reply.

"So Mom said no love ?" Diamond asked, Xeir gave her a look, Diamond quickly rephrased her question. "What exactly did Mother say in regards to the good Captain over here ?"

"Time is short. We might not be able to.. well. have a wedding." Xeir replied

"I told ya, but noo you didnt listen to your sister. 'no we'll wait until training under uncle is finished then get married' Now Mother says there's not enough time ? Told ya!" Diamond had no smugness whatsoever in her tone or expression, but it was clear she was right as Xeir took a seat at the edge of the table, how to do this right. how to join with Kalda before time ran out. It was a intense mission her mother had for her, and being one with Kalda meant she had to rush one thing or the other, or make one thing that was important to her have to wait however long. Xeir raked a hand through her hair and took a bite of the offered leg of goat offered to her by her sister. "not enough sauce" She mumbled, it made Diamond snicker that mention, at least there wasnt any salt on the goat legs...

Kalda for most of their conversation was distracted by another report from a bridge officer. As he was finished, heard something about time, and blinked, turning to the pair before speaking. "What's this about time?" he asked, adjusting his hat on his head a bit before looking to Xeir. He had to admit she was beautiful; while he himself couldn't see his entire life with her just yet; he certainly wouldn't mind it. He loved her, yes, but wasn't head over heels in love; his mission was too far forward in his mind in terms of priorities.

He narrowed his eyes however, taking in her beauty admirably. He did feel something for her, he couldn't deny that. But not enough to conflict his need to do his mission first. Dragons lived for a long time; they'd have time later for anything.

It was true, Dragons lived a very long time, Xeir and kalda were proof of that, Heck kethend and Draco were proof of it, even Light was proof if not difinitive proof of that fact. Dragons lived a long time yes, but not forever. And there was not telling how long they had before something happened to drive them apart. When kalda asked xeir said simply "Mother fears time may be too pressing for me to focus on other matters. As in, us." Diamond just took a bite of her leg of lamb and grumbled about too much salt again.

Xeir sighed. "Mother mentioned a mission, but she wouldnt explain, she said I'd find out that information on my own. But. She did say that if your mission were a success you could claim the proper reward." Xeir meant herself, she had told her mother she was in love, and Light knew it, it was not easy to deny love its proper path. So Light made a easy simple deal with her daughter, where Kaldas mission to eliminate kethend the Shadow Queen a success, they could get married.

So that meant they had to send the report to Light right away! Xeir was oddly excited. Hopeful even at the mere thought of a wedding to Kalda. her Mothers Champion.

Kalda raised an eyebrow. "Us? So...you feel that way..." he pondered for a second. "I...will need to mull that over, Xeir...I hope you don't mind too much." he said calmly as he looked off to the side, his hand went into his pocket and he revealed the crystal that was the report. He'd need to deliver it to the Light personally. That'd take a few days to head to her Temple in Africa's Lake Victoria.

"Helmsman, once we're in the clear, head for Lake Victoria. Mother needs her report." he said, and then he added before turning away, tightening his grasp. "And push the engines to full. I want to be there quickly."

"Aye Captain. ETA till departure, two hours."

Kalda nodded and turned, putting a gentle hand on Xeir's shoulder before moving it to her cheek and rubbing his thumb against it briefly before he turned away and returned to his quarters for a much needed sleep.

Two hours meant enough time to rest, Xeir felt her heart hammer at Kalda's gentle touch as she watched him go to his cabin to get some rest while the ship was going to move very fast. their mission was to return home, she missed it greatly. And yet somehow she felt as if she had to remain in Arendelle as well. the place was beautiful, possibly more beautiful then her massive temple home at Lake Victoria.

Diamond said nothing however seeing her sisters reaction she stood up though at the knock at the bridge door. Upon opening it a kobold stood there and handed her a crystal. OK... what was she supposed to do with that ? She looked to her sister. 'what do I do' written all over her face, Xeir didnt know and simply just shrugged her shoulders. Crystals were common forms of information keeping.

Two hours later and they were on their way to see their mother. But it was a good four day flight at this stage, From the North Dock, known as The Dock of Light, to the Temple of Light where Xeir and Diamond grew up, made about as much sense as most other things did. Diamond however activated the crystals holographic connection and saw what was inside, blueprints, for an airship ? Wait no, a landgoing ship, or seagoing, whatever, it confused the Dragon, landgoing, seagouing, there was a difference ? It didnt matter.

It was the name that stood out to Diamond, hopefully Kalda knew the person, a woman named Yaeko Wolfe.

 **1.1 million years ago**

 **90 days after Metor strike on Arendelle**

 **10 days before Xeir Zith vs Draco**

 **Reykjavik, Iceland**

 **Ancient Precoursor Fortress**

 **Dusk**

 _plink...plop...plink...plop..._

Melted water and ice dripped to the floor of the ancient fortress, the place was a six leveled complex of many rooms, hallways, it was a maze. It was here the shadows lured him and his crew. With the ship far above, Kalda ventured, alone, into the vast fortress, not knowing what to expect he kept himself ready. Water in many areas had flooded rooms with ice cold deadly water. Overhead shadows danced as a single creature watched his every move. Waiting until the right moment as Kalda ventured deeper and deeper into the vast fortress.

The burns of the strange metal had finally stopped, leaving her scarred, third andf fourth dfegree burns covered her from head to foot, and burnt most of her hair off to the point she was partly bald. But the Silver that tried to kill her, the silver that burnt her, was finally walking into her carefully laid trap

Now to spring it.

When Kalda entered what had once been a massive court or throne room the doors behind slammed shut and a sultry voice rang out "Miss me ?" Where did the voice come from ?

As soon as he heard the voice Kalda spun into a battle stance and in a flash his armor and swords apeared on his body and in his hands. Made of pure _Duradaeden_ his body was encased in armor identical to the armor of his reincarnation, Mark Wolfe, minus the claws, which were his own physical claws. The swords were part of a set, and could be wielded in one hand, one of them would be passed down to wind up in Mark's possession. The only thing different than Mark's armor was the addition of a full helmet to resemble a greek Spartan helmet, but more Draconian in design as well with scales and spikes running down the crest of the helmet.

He narrowed his eyes and lowered his stance, both swords pointing at Kethend. "Would seem like I did, didn't it ?" he replied in a mocking tone. "Looking lovely as always, by the way." he added with a confident smirk. Despite the age and power gap between them; he was confident he could easilly beat her in one on one combat in her current condition.

An addition to his wardrobe was now made clear as it glowed; a _Duradaeden_ ring on his left ring finger. He'd agreed to marry Xeir, and before he left, was able to see their egg; a singular, pure egg. It was beautiful; and so would the child born from it. He pushed that thought from his mind and gritted his teeth.

How in Light's glory was Kethend still alive? He fired a full broadside!

Kethend stepped into view, dispite being dressed in black lace and black cloth that danced with shadows, her body, normally a beautiful light tan with dark hair, was quite beutiful, but now, burns covered it. Her head was almost completely blad save for a few clumbs of thick black hair. raw burned skin glittered red in the dusty sunlight filtering through the windows and walls. "Yes... it would seem like it." Her pure hatred for this Silver before her made her want to rip him apart.

She smirked as she watched his armor appear. typical, go full defenses. But then most of her prey did just that, they all fell. She removed from her shadows a pair of gilden hilts. Black edged blades sprang from them, golden energy danced upon the blades black edges. the two swords were corupted Pieces of Eden Kethend and Draco had found, their power suited Kethend perfectly.

She held one sword in a salute towards her most hated enemy, her attempted killer. "It is time to finish what you attempted... Silver..." She said, flicking down the sword into a ready stance she darted at Kalda, swords ready.

Kalda returned the salute before resuming his stance. As she darted forward, as did he, his pure _Duradaeden_ more than enough to stop a corrupted Sword of Eden safely without breaking. The sounds of metal clashing filled the great hall, and as Kalda's swords locked with Kethend's, he brought up a foot to kick at her knees, spikes on the ends of his boot toes aiming to maim her further and cripple her ability to walk for a while.

Shadows danced around them in the dust filled hall, the kick came, and went and yet Kethends energy, her raw hatered for the Silver she was fighting, kept her going even though there was a loud and clearly painful **CRUNCH** as Kaldas armored boot made contact with her right leg and knee. But her raw anger kept her going. Kept her moving. Fueling her movments. each strike came down hearder, and faster then the last.

Kalda was not expecting her to be able to take more than that, and was back peddling away from her as fast as he could, blocking and deflecting what he could, most of the strikes now landing on his armor, the screeching metal grinding against his ears. Fear began to build up inside him as he then hopped back out of range, using his silverfire breath weapon to burn her further before he landed. And he landed hard, falling to one knee before flinching and standing back up, flipping his swords into a reverse grip so he could more easily block Kethend's strikes. His eyes blazed silver as he charged forward again with a roar.

Bringing up her twin swords into a cross before her as the silverfire rained down on her, Kethend shriekd, glass broke at the sound of her voice and light filled the room from all directions, dancing on her black corrupted blades as she slashed madly, her anger and hatred fueling her movements. Each miss raked against a pillar, cutting clean through it and sending parts of the rooftop above crashing down around them. her hands dripped blood from the burns, and her hair was singed, her eyes were of blood red ringed in yellow, pure hate fueled her movements.

With a shriek of nails on a blackboard Kethend launched herself at Kalda, both swords a blur of motion as black energy coalaced at the edges and when they connected tip to tip an explosion of white hot energy shot into the sky and around them both berfore another explison of energy slamed into them, toppling pillars and windows alike.

Finally it was over. Intense fighting had ended. Kethend stood against a pillar, a sword of eden broken on the ground, crushed by a falling pillar. She looked down at her left side, A blade of _Duradaeden_ stabbed next to her, while her eyes trailed to her own weapon. It stuck through Kalda, pointing out the Silver's back. Kethend breathed hard and let go of her sword as the energy from it was spent and it exploded in corrupted energies sending Kethend blasting through the pillar. She pulled herself to her feet, both her weapons gone... she watched to see what her mortal enemy was going to try next.

This fight was over.

Kalda's hands let go of his swords as the sword of Eden pierced through his weakened _Duradaeden_ Armor, and came out of his back. His hands grasped at the blade as blood was coughed out of his mouth and onto the gasped hard for breath. The explosion from the sword sent him flying into another pillar, his own swords coming with him, sliding along the ground and landing next to him. They were cracked, both of them, and would need repair if they were to be used.

Kalda hurled up a mouthfull of blood and stared at Kethend, gasping for breath still as she stood. ' _I should have went down there... fired another salvo... anything..._ ' his armor disipated as the thought ran through his head and he leaned back against the column and a tear streamed down his cheek.

"Mother... I've failed you... Xeir... I'm sorry... Lizzy... I'm..." the light began to fade from his vision as tears streamed down his face and he stood, one last thing before he died. Light had already placed a spell on him to be reincarnated close to the time when Xeir would; she did that at the wedding as her wedding gift to them both. He gathered the last of her energy into his left arm, his gauntlet appearing, and forming claws of its own before returning to nothing but a ball of pure _Duradaeden_ , molten and bubbling in his hand as he then let out a sort of pained bark, and launched the pure _Duradaeden_ towards Kethend's body. After that, whether it hit or not, he fell to his knee and kept his arm up; bringing it to his mouth, and biting his thumb at Kethend. Even Dragons knew that insult, and as a sailor, he had better know it.

With that he fell onto his chest and let the last of his life escape his body, his eyes falling closed and his breath finally leaving his body.

It was to be expected, all Dragons had a secret at their very last breath, an attempt to take their enemy with them. the pure _Duradaeden_ sailed at her, reforming as it did into claws without a hand. using her shadows she formed a glove of a sword, bating the strange metal away like a homerun shot out of a baseball park. She turned just in time to see the insult. Her eyes blazed yellow in hate, but she could do nothing, She moved to kick him, but shrieked as the pain finally set in and her right knee shattered into a dozen pieces. using her shadows she formed a crutch and limped away. The battle was over, she had won. She had her revenge. And no petty insult was going to rob her of it either!

Bit it was as she left someone else arrived. Someone Kethend never saw or noticed.

A gentle hand lifted Kaldakava onto his back, gently resting upon his chest where the sword of eden had struck. another hand picked up the lesser damaged sword before fading. A soft whisper on the wind. "Be at rest, recover your strength child."

A day later and Diamond finally found where she was to go. She'd followed her sisters advice, the Silver Eagle had disappeared, she couldnt dinf it so Diamond had to fly, following her nose as any Dragon did. Landing in the ruins of the old fortress she stared and swiftly transformed, scrambling to her brother in laws fallen body she checked him over, the body was freezing cold! "no, its impossible!' Diamond whimpered softly, tears stinging her eyes as she spied one of Kaldas swords nearby, she grabbed it, it felt weird in her hands. heavy almost. She set a hand on her fallen brother in laws bloddy shoulder and swiftly flew away. She had to tell Xeir what happened, what she found.

She dreaded doing it.

 **Arendelle**

 **Two days later, eight days before Xeir Zith battles Draco**

 **Wolfe District**

 **Wolfe Manor Courtyard**

 **Midmorning**

There was about two dozen men and women training in formation, the women had two swords, the men one, they trained and moved in time with each other, one woman oversaw them all, her black hair and crest signified her rank as Matriarch of the Clan. A woman came running up to her "Matriarch!" the younger girl dropped to one knee with a fist covering the other and a brief bow, "A vistor wishes to see you, she says it is of utmost importance that you speak to her directly, she refused to speak to me of why she wishes to see you"

"A visitor ?" Yaeko replied, She thought a momnent then nodded "Very well, I will meet with her, get some rest, you look tired." The girl nodded as Yaeko left the training session and went to the gazebo at the center of the district. Light was waiting for her, but in the cloak the ancient Creator wore Yaeko didnt recognise her. "May I help you in any way ?"

Light nodded and held out a package. carefully wrapped in wax cloth. "Yes" came the quiet reply "I want you to take this sword, care for it as an heirloom of your family. Repair it if you must. You have the means to do so within your forges."

Yaeko nodded, they did have the means to make weapons of the best possible quality in all of Arendelle, but this sword. She carefully unwrapped it and saw what Light meant, the sword had cracks covering it in all directions. There was no place on it that didnt have a crack. the sword was going to have to be reforged if it was ever going to get used, but Yaeko saw clearly the kind of metal it was. "iDuradaeden/i ?" she whispered,

Light nodded "Repair this sword if you are able to do so. Keep it as an heirloom of your family, the oldest or one most skilled may use it only." Light said softly, "It belongs to a dear friend of us both. treat the blade with respect, and it will protect you and yours."

Yaeko nodded, Light took her leave.

 **At that same moment**

 **Unknown location near Docks of Light**

"Seal it away, preserve it. keep it with you, I dont care!" Thundered Xeir Zith's normally calm voice. Her heart was torn from her, she felt her beloved husband Kaldakava die. she'd collapsed in a crying fit for no reason two days before and her sister had gone to find out why, they never were able to find the Silver Eagle. Diamond had brought back what Xeir feared, her husbands sword. But only one of them ? Nothing of his armor ? Finally she asked simply while fighting back tears. "How did he look ?"

Diamond almost didnt want to describe it, but her sister asked, so she did. Xeir noddeed, "I could only find one sword, not both. I know he used two as Uncle spoke about his skill with two blades matched our own skill" She said.

"Like I said, I want you to keep it with you, seal it away, hide it, anything, just keep it with you. I will protect our egg, raise our daughter if I can. I may have to move it to keep it safe." Xeir said looking thoughtfully at her untarinshed silver and white egg and their unhatched infant girl within it. Both were in their dragon form. which was going to make moving the egg easier. "It cannot stay here, I'm going to move it. to keep it safe from my husbands killer." She turned to her sister "take the blade, I dont care what you do with it Diamond, I do not want it." On her left foreclaw was a _Duradaeden_ ring. "I will keep this ring. I will never remove it." She said

Diamond nodded and gave her sister a hug before flying off, Xeir Zith watched her sister leave. then using her massive toeclaws she gently picked up her unhatched daughter and flew off to parts unkown before settling it the ancient area of the Southern Isles.


	30. Seqeunce 7 Memory 4

**_Jellicle's Creed_**

 ** _Frozen Memories_**

 ** _Seqeunce 7_**

 ** _Memory 4: Community Chest part 2_**

 **12 Febuary 2052**

 **Arendelle Fjord**

 **Midafternoon**

 _"Once a Wolfe, **Always** a Wolfe."_

 **\- Wolfe Clan Matriarch Yaeko Wolfe**

The midafternoon sun danced on the sails of the Whitesparrow as it floated on the fjord as if eager to see the world. For all intents, it was eager. and it briefly bucked against Marions control, but that was only briefly until it somehow recognised her for who she was. A friend of the ships designer apparently. But then again Marion had little, if any, experience controlling a ship of any kind. But it oddly felt familar.

The docks were not far ahead, and for now, that was Marions destiation. As they neared the docks however a ship was there, and there was someone in a dark trenchcoat waiting on the dock. Upon seeing the ewaterfall and musing at its beauty as it started to disappear and a truly massive warship bristling with weaponry floated out, when it ishould/i be in a museum floated on the water so smoothly as if brand new. the woman on the dock stared at it briefly before pushing thoughts out of her head. Agent Bronzekey was sure to be nearby. But then, the CIA mole knew that finding Mark Wolfe was like trying to find Mathew Michaels, it was impossible unless one knew where to look.

So the woman, by the name of Agent Car Key, or Key depending on the other agents moods at the time. Waited at the docks taking in the beauty of the majestic ship arriving to dock. which was weird as all she could see aboard were three women, one of which was Elsa, the other two women, Georgina and Marion, she didnt recognise, well the second woman, Diana she actually partly recognised from a old servailance video in London

Marion guided the Whitesparrow to the docks as if she'd done it a thousand times, which, upon hearing about it, would surprise Mark greatly that 'Diana' who, as far as he knew, couldn't properly fire a long rifle due to a lack of any training whatsoever, could pilot such a large ship as if she did it all the time. Upon feeling the ship slow, Mark looked to Anna, and nodded to the stairs, with a nod in reply from the Princess the two left the galley.

Mark went up onto the main deck and peered from under his hood at the CIA agent in the trench coat. He narrowed his eyes, and raised an arm as he felt Georgina getting antsy about the woman's presence. Was it her?

"If one wishes to enter a locked room, what need they do?" he asked the woman as he walked down the gangplank keeping his eyes on her. He felt much better upon leaving the ship's deck, and his armor returned to his body quickly, as well as his weapons.

"One needs simply knock and turn the latchkey." the woman replied.

Mark paused, a few feet in front of her. "Did you notice any roaches on your trip?"

"A clean bill of health." she replied. Upon further inspection, she was standing over something; a large box, two, actually, in the forms of briefcases. They were between her legs and hidden beneath the trench coat to those who didn't know where to look.

Mark smiled and lowered his hood, shaking the woman's hand. "Car Key. How nice to see you."

"Scorpion, the pleasure is mine. A truly beautiful country you've landed in."

"Kingdom, actually. But close enough."

"I stand corrected" Key replied calmly; showing no anger or annoyance at being corrected, honestly she welcomed it.

Mark turned to everyone who followed him, Elsa, Georgina, Marion, and Anna. Minus Tiri, who was...somewhere.

"Everyone, this is my most trusted CIA informant. She goes by Car Key or just Key, depending on how formal you want to be. She's here to...strengthen the Royal Guard." Mark looked to her, and she nodded. Men were unloading large metal crates into mule-deer drawn carriages heading straight for the castle. "You'll see more later, I'm sure." Mark said calmly. He then introcuded everyone to Key, using very deliberate and methodical movements most of them might not have seen him use before. But in turn, Car Key seemed to relax visibly with each introduction.

When the last introduction came, A Queen, in person, briefly Key didnt know eirther to bow or not but Elsa saved her the trouble by asking her not to do so, among friends Elsa was just herself, And also her sister Anna, but it was after Key spoke saying "It is a pleasure to meet you all... especially one so skilled at eluding dragnets..." Yes, now she recognised Diana. the woman had a skill unmatched by normal car theives. Or thieves in general for that matter. the question remained though, how the hell did she know of Diana aside from that ?

Wait, Diana was a car thief ?

But it was after meeting everyone when the ship, in the words of an ancient Silver Dragon, farted. Black powder exploded like a small smoke bomb from a porthole at the center of the ship and ice poured out of it at the same time into the Fjord a half dozen meters below. Odd chittering and what sounded like hiccups were heard. Key was the only one to notice however that Diana seemed midly nervous about the sudden noise.

Then out of nowhere a childish voice rang out as two stick arms hugged Car Key from behind, Olaf all but screamed "Hi! I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" Elsa tried not to smile while Anna giggloed and Georginas buried her face in her hands. Olaf out of nowhere. Then again he was chasing butterflies normally.

Car Key's right arm twitched at the touch from Olaf and Mark moved faster than anyone had seen him move before, grabbing the woman's wrist and shaking his head. "Relax. It's just Olaf. Remember the letter I sent you?" Twitchy, wasn't she? She relaxed quickly and daintilly rubbed Olaf's head while Mark looked to the WhiteSparrow.

"Tiri! You'd best not be blowing up Elsa's ship!" he barked out. There was no mistaking that sneeze.

Oh man the cat was out of the bag for sure, however, the ice dripped into the sea below dock, and yet the Icewraith heard what Mark said. And seconds later she appeared from an alley "Why would I want to... do... that ?" Tiri of course had seen the ship before, heck she even saw the blueprints for it eons into the past. But seeing it in broad daylight took her breath away completely as she stared. Sure she slept in the powder room, but how did he know she was in there ? HE was in there, and never saw her, or the powder keg half empty because she ate most of it.

Elsa raised an eyebrow, Tiri was dressed in a brown dress similar to her own sparkling red. But Elsa couldnt place the feeling of somehow knowing the woman before her. How did she know her ? Wait she was in the dining hall recently. Elsa remembered that much at least. assking for permission for something, Elsa also recalled requesting a Chalice Elisar to meet with her in the dining hall of the castle. But to that extent elsa didnt recognise her fully as she never saw Tiri's face, which was identical to her own, which was like looking in a mirror, just ask Serenity and Serena, trwins who were identical in every way, except voice and manners, and methods of killing their targets.

So to change the subject Georgina spoke up to relieve the tension that suddenly built up, seeing Car Key relaxed now, made the Chinese Princess also relax, a little bit, until she saw what was being unloaded from the transport vessel. It wasnt an oil tanker, but still it did the job just fine to transport the goods. "I was not aware we were getting templar weaponry shipped to us. did we hijack a Templar supply convoy or something ?" Georgina couldnt have been more wrong.

However she was partly right. It was a supply ship, but not the Templars. Car Key picked up the smaller gold plated briefcase from under her trenchcoat and held it out to Mark, "As requested, though I dont know where the ammo is, right now its got the normal manstopper rounds and antiarmor rounds, the dragonfire rounds might be in the shipment somewhere. But they're here, somewhere." Key said holding out the case. Inside was Marks Desert Eagle.

Mark took the first briefcase, and smiled at seeing his bronze-colored .50 Cal. Desert Eagle and three mags of Magnum Rounds, as well as three mags of Armor Peircing. He took the second beifcase, and opened it. It was his thigh-holster, and an addition to his belt to hold all the magzines for his ammo. Mark took the unloaded DEagle in his hand and pulled the slide back three times, looked down the chamber, and felt inside the handle to make sure it was empty before aiming, and pulling the trigger, the satisfying click filling his ears as he let out a chuckle and smiled, loading a clip of Magnum rounds, putting safety on, and holstering the weapon.

"The rest of my arsenal will be at the castle with the ones the Royal Guards will be getting, yes?" At Car Key's nod, he smiled, and shook the woman's hand firmly. "Always a pleasure working with you, Car Key." he said, setting up already the code phrase they were to use next time they saw each other to verify that it was who they were supposed to be talking to. And now for her part.

"The pleasure is always mine." she replied, and the phrases were set. With that, She turned and took the empty briefcases with her back onto the transport ship. Mark watched her, before turning to everyone else.

Elsa watched her go, it was odd actually. The woman knew Mark, a CIA contact. Interesting. She'd have to corner Mark one on one later in order to make sense of things. but until then. Georgina spoke up then thoughtfully as Car Key left "If she's your contact Mentor, then why not ask her to keep the CIA out of Arendelle so we can focus on our true enemy ?" She meant the Templars, but what she had no idea of was the fact plain and simple was that with the CIA in town it was even easier to deal with the Templars. that and the handcannon Mark had on his hip made things slightly easier.

Georgina however went quiet as Elsa seemed to visibly stiffen at mere thought of the CIA. Amazingly however Elsa agreed with Georgina completely, "Can we ask her to keep the CIA out of Arendelle for time being ? I measn, She'll be allowed here yes, there's no question of that, she's your tested contact within the CIA, therefore she's allowed here because you trust her, anyone you trust, I can trust" And that was saying a lot, if Mark trusted someone with his life like he trusted Car Key, then Elsa could trust that person too.

But there was certain questions remaining, why was Tiri there, known to Elsa as Chalice Elisar, and Diana, who was 'Chalice's' adopted daughter and in history, her sister. Which was weird to begin with. "So what happens now ? We got the ship out here, its huge, it cant stay hidden now." Anna mused aloud, those near her were the only to hear. But Tiri could see eyes, bronze flecked with sliver, eyeing Diana by what the CIA contact said concerning her skill at theivery and eluding police so well.

"If someone within the CIA were to suddenly request all operations in a certain region of the world to stop, suspicion would be raised and she'd be looked in to. Eventually it would trace back to me, and they'd be here for me again. And knowing the CIA, they'd use Elsa to to get to me." he explained. "I made myself clear what would happen if I found that man again; and so far I haven't seen him..." he rolled his fingers idly, the claws of the gauntlets gleaming in the sunlight.

Mark shifted slightly, his brown eyes centering on Elsa for a second before sliding to Anna, he then blinked and looked to the ship. "I've already tripled patrols and have Ulnaus sitting on the prow; if anything the CIA or Templars will think it's our ship, and will avoid it; since they seem to recognize that Ulnaus means I'm around." he said calmly, watchign his big bafoon of a bird preen himself.

Mark grunted before raising his hood and walking away, without another word, finding himself lost in thought for a moment.

 _Slice!_...

 **THUD**

Out of nowhere came the noises, first of a slicing of springs, or of an apple, in any case it was slicing of something, the question of what is like asking what sound Yellow makes. A pearlwhite item, four wheeled and the size of a housecat shot off the ship through an open porthole and hit the dock and shot off into the market. Elsa stared, facinated by the technology, Anna was confused, Diana had a smirk on her face behind her scarf, and Georgina ssimply just wondered what the fuck was going on as Olaf said "She's nice!" Meaning Car Key, sure she was about to shoot him in the nose before Mark stopped her. Mark was the only one who could move as fast as her, or even decern her movements to begin with.

"Nice she may be I dont recommend giving random strangers hugs from behind, there was no telling what the woman would have done to you had Mark not informed her ahead of time of you." Elsa said stepping up to Olaf, the journal in hand. Some of it she couldnt make any sense of. Names apparently, old names. She found a page with blueprints on it and went through them. More names, Ancient names that felt... oddly familar ?

Out of the blue Elsa asked, "Who is Yaeko ?" Of course she spoke the name completely wrong as she had never seen it before. The journal had blueprints not only for the Whitesparrow, but weapons, neverbefore seen, and all of it was listed as what Marks armor was made of!

Mark paused as the RC car bounded from the ship and zipped under his falling foot. And he paused further upon hearing the name Yaeko. _"Whoop! There's a name I ain't heard in a while."_ Kalda's voice echoed in his mind and Mark's eyes had a dull haze of silver over them as he turned towards Elsa to answer her question.

"The Wolfe Matriarch of long ago. I'm sure she'll show up in your mother's library somewhere, heck even the regular Castle Library...That's...all I remember of her." he said; sounding a little ashamed of himself for not remembering everything, but then, it had been about twenty years, give or take, since he had a lesson about his family's history. A formal one, anyway. Everything after that was dug up through research on his own.

Tiri at that moment with Mark distracted and focused on the past apparently, took that moment to get to safety, it felt odd around Mark to be near him too long. Like he was actively trying to find her, or find out what Diana really was. hell if Tiri knew, having adopted Diana into her brothel in London at request of Elsa's own mother, Tiri, then a six year old icewraith, but a 20 year old woman in charge of a HUGE bunch of young women helping men of all sorts needed to get as far from Mark for the moment as she could. Which meant of course she nearly ran into some Templars.

With Tiri gone Anna was the next person to speak, pointing in the direction the little RC car shot off "What was that ?"

Olaf was distracted by the device almost instantly and was chasing it as Elsa spoke Yaeko's name. She held out the blueprint pages to mark to see, on each one under the designers name was the name Yaeko Wolfe, anbd also Elsas ancestor Arenel the Wise. "It looks like we found the blueprints." Elsa said.

Georgina was the first to notice Tiri not with them anymore, "Hey, Where'd Chalice go ?" using Tiri's public name, Chalice Elisar meant something was up. Her hand to her hip where a pair of swords were kept Samurai style georgina paced around the docks area trying to find where Tiri had gone off to. Never finding her. But there was still the question of who Diana really was, though Georginas knew the woman was a thief and had taught the giurls within the brothel she lived at how to steal and survive.

But eluding a police dragnet ? Even in the high tech world Georgina was used to before moving to Arendelle made it impossible to elude a policeman, let alone an entire dragnet! Apparently Diana Elisar was more then a simple Assassin recruit. She was a highly skilled if not master theif, and also a killer, and quite possibly the writer of a newly published Assassin guide titled "601 ways to kill a templar" Apparently the small book, intended as a guide book for all Assassins, was written by experience as each type of deatrh was more grusome then the last

Mark grunted softly at seeing the blueprints, not answering Anna's question for now. Mark nodded and smiled. "Looks like it..." he said before looking to Anna and Georgina, the silver glow in his eyes slowly fading and letting his eyes return to brown. "I...I need to go for a bit; I need to research something at the Manor...as for what that was, Anna..." he referred to the RC car. "Ask my sisters." he smiled.

Diana eluded an entire dragnet? Georgina used Tiri's code-name. Tiri and Diana were from London... His sister and mother went to London... something wasn't right. He hated having things waved in front of his nose and not being able to do anything about it. He couldn't ask them directly; he tried it already; and he couldn't see it with his already stupid enhansed Eagle Vision. He'd have to let time play this out.

He transport Arrayed his way to the Wolfe Manor, and would find his map of possible vault Locations. He had to find somewhere to meditate on the memories that surfaced while on the Whitesparrow. He needed somewhere...spiritual. A single location on his map caught his eye: Blackrock Haven.

Anna nodded at mention of who to talk to, that RC car she wanted to know more about, it was actually kinda cute. She turned to head to find Serena or even Serenity, only to see Olaf come wandering back, the RC car in his arms, he was hugging it. The car seemed to be looking as if begging to be taken from the overhugging snowman, itsd four weehsl sending snow everywhere, but thanks to Elsas magic the snow simply rebuilt onto Olaf seconds later

Elsa noded, with Georgina in tow she went back to her mothers study, she had to find out more of this Wolfe Clan Matriarch, Yaeko Why did it sound familar ? The more she looked at it the more familar it became and felt. searching through her mtohers library in the castle Elsa was soon lost in a book. which left Marion on her own, able to sneak off unseen. There was someone important she needed to see. Of course the first step she took around the docks had her looking idirectly/i At her home in the distence. But what she was seeing was not her home being rebuilt, no, what she was seeing was a memory right out of hell. Before turning away. She needed to speak to her mother.

 **Arendelle**

 **Yaen District**

 **About twenty minutes later**

A pair of eyes watched the Templar Captain in command, no dsoubt the Queen was going to want to open this district back up, plenty of shops, basically a second marketplace if renovated properly. The lone recruit counted out how many people were there, Templars swarmed the district, apparently something important was kept there.

It proved worthwhile to see why so many Templars were in the area. as the lone recruit simply sat around doung literally nothing what so ever, he was preceived as a simple resident of the district, which was true actually aas he grew up there amid the Templars, even got to know some of the men while growing up as a small boy. The Yaen District overlooked the newly renamed Wolfe District. Was that why the district was so full of Templars ?

The eyes of the recruit darted towards a pair of men armed to the teeth, these were not the normal sword and sorcery type Templars of long ago, no, these men carried a large box between them, a ammo supply crate. Looking closer the recruit saw that these men were gearing up for war of some kind. He heard also many references to the Arko District as well as a few coastal districts. He also heard the men were planning to move to a nearby district before anything crazier happened. His job was to find out more of the missing founds that were to be sent

Upon hearing the Templars planning to leave the distrct and moving items with them the Assassin Recruit, a young man named David, went to a rooftop and once sure that nobody saw him scamper up there he fired into the air, a flare of red, meaning "Ready for battle!" In Assassin terms it was a flag signal, one of their recruits needed help. It was time to retake the district

"The fuck is that?" one of the newer Templar Recruits asked, jutting his thumb to the flare in the sky.

"Man hell if I know, higher-ups dont' tell me shit anymore." his commander said, his eyes looking to the captain as he spoke before returning to his sub-ordinate's gaze. "For all I know one of civilians got their hands on a piece of tech or some shit and now they think they're a god. You know how primitive these people are."

"Primitive indeed..." came a female voice before the two Templar's heads fell to the ground in a flash of silver as Marion emerged from the shadows and fired her own flare into the air, a green one this time, signalling for all out war to commense if necessary to reclaim the district. She then charged forward towards the Templar Captain, who only sneered as his guards came to his defense. She dispatched them quickly enough, but by the time she did, the Captain was out of sight. She growled as she kicked another Templar in his manhood before slicing his neck with ease.

Within moments it was complete chaos within the district, Assassins jumping out of hiding places, off rooftops, tripping up their targets. A large group of patrolling Templars charged Marion but came to a sudden halt as sixteen pairs of eyes watered in sympathy as she planted with surgical precision, her foot into another Templars groinal area with enough force of her foot to neuter the man on the spot before slitting his throat. Warm red blood spilled onto the frozen street.

The Templar captain had disappeared, seemingly so, leaving his men to fight he'd darted for reenforcements. But his men were thin and few between thanke to the mass exodus to another district move the men were going through. Supplies were being taken from one den to another. To keep the enemy guessing. All of a sudden completely lost the Templar Captain found himself back in the battle zone, but Marion's back was to him.

Of course rather then strike the man turned tail and bolted for the safety of the next district. But he didnt get far as he was tripped up by a snowman chasing a four wheel drive RC truck. Somehow the Slash got free of Olaf's nonstop hugging stickarms and bolted, right into the line of battle. The Captain cursed as he tripped over the snowman and hit the icy ground, scrambling to his feet he had barely enough time before the danged iskilled/i woman came his way to draw his own twin swords

Marion was able to hear a body tumble but then begin scrambling to get back up. Either the Captain had fallen, or a Recruit wasn't doing their job correctly. Either way she turned slowly and spotted the Captain. Her eyes were glowing a bright white as her Eagle Vision quickly spotted the man bathed in Gold Light. She charged him as he stood and drew his own swords. They clashed and her swords cut down into his blades. The man grunted and stopped her momentum entirely before kicking her in the gut, sending her back a few feet before she twirled her swords into a stance of equal attack and defensive capabilities.

"They say you're good...but no mere Assassin can defeat me." The Captain said. There was an air of confidence to his words as he twirled the handles in his hand by slightly opening and closign his fists, letting them spin freely before he stopped, blades pointed towards Marion as he charged forward. He was light on his feet, and Marion had no time redirecting his strikes, however she did have trouble keeping track of his movements at first; he was almost as fast as she was.

Almost.

The two exchanged strikes for what felt like an hour, but was only twenty minutes, and by the time Marion regained the advantage in the battle, a small crowd of Assassin recruits had gathered to watch. By then, the Captains swords were chipped and cracked in certain places, his swords having held up quite well against Marion's Piece of Eden designed iDuradaeden/i blades, which glimmered golden in the sunlight. They were both panting, and Marion was smiling from under her scarf.

The Captain had a look of pure fatigue and defiance on his face, which he proved by charging again, however Marion side stepped and gave him a small cut on his shoulders. He growled and turned, and she let his arms run into her blade, and with a satisfying ibShunk!/b/i they sunk into his arms causing him to scream at the top of his lungs in pain before cursing and spitting at Marion's boots. She drew her boot back to avoid the spit.

"Guess I'm a little better than you thought, eh?" Marion coyly asked as she circled him, letting her blade drag itself out of his arms as they went limp, his swords dropping to the ground and shattering. After flicking the blood off of one sword she sheathed it and reached into the man's coat, quickly finding the key to the den and tower and yanking it out before he realized what she was doing. She tucked the key into her cloak and drew her sword again before setting her blades to rest on his shoulders in a crossed X.

 **Blackrock Haven Temple**

 **Wolfe Mausoleum**

 **At that same moment**

Blackrock Haven, a haven for travelers, as it was used by many a seacaptain to dock and regain supplies, to rest at the beautiful temple. the strange square blocks of stone giving the massive construct its name. The halls, marble black floors with light coming seemingly from nowhere making an etheral glow on the walls and floor. the celing couldnt be see because of the black rock. But to many who used the place as a place of brief refuge, it was a simple long hallway lined with columns. It had no windows.

Yet it was important for generations. the past twenty years had changed the massive temple into a place of overnight campsites for ships crews. Nobody stayed more then a night there.

Which was good for two reasons, thanks to the recent cleaning of the Blackrock Point catecombs by Mark the year before, the temple area was cleaner as well. Because for as long as the kingdom could remember, it over looked the kingdom, and the Wolfe Manor could be seen from the highest point. And the design of the building was perfect for the needs at the time. After all, it was the Wolfe Clan that claimed it for burial grounds. The Wolfe Mausoleum was its proper name. But over the last twenty one years it became known as Blackrock Haven because those that went in to rest over night felt safe, like in a proper refuge

Upon entering the deeper parts of the temple the designs of black solid rock and what sounded like humming machinery was evident within the massive tomb maze of a mausoleum dediecated to the Wolfe family. Only certain people could access it. The door remained closed, yet there was a room off to the left housing a table, some chairs, a cooking area, and about two dozen beds for travelers. The men and women that stopped in there over night always were respectful of where they were. It was at one point a very holy place.

In fact Blackrock Haven Temple was the site of the titanic battle wherein Flowerfist defeated their opressors with the aid of her best friend Second. It was also there on the front steps of the vast temple grounds wherein Flowerfist founded Arendelle and chose for the kingdom to be overlooked from the Temple Grounds, the Haven was to be a place of refuge. but also a place of burial.

With the front halls filled with people of all sorts treating it more of a safe haven wioth some small market stalls and cooking of foods none of those present saw Mark as he easily slipped past them and disappeared into the deeper recesses of the massive building that went deep into the mountain it was built into. The ancient vault was original but to be a Precoursor Temple over three million years before! Back before Arendelle was founded the vaults were used to store food, make weapons, and more. It was lined with black marble found only there. the sounds of machinery powering stuff were heard clearly however as Mark went deeper down the halls.

Light also shone from one hall he was walking towards. Upon entering the vast long hall he saw he didnt need his eagle vision nor did he need the light he brought with him as there were four pillars glowing with golden light and energy. A pair of doors were side by side, but in truth it was one large door with a center hingelock. Upon further inspection the lock was a pair of parallel vertical slots in the black marble. Tile covered the door and above it words glittered like white glass. " _Once a Wolfe, Always a Wolfe_ " Mark read aloud. the name Yaeko Wolfe was printed in white glass lettering on the doors.

" _So this is where their laid her_ /i" Kalda said softly there was a door leading off from the four pillars, Kalda said later the four pillars were dedicated to someone, but he couldnt figure out who, yet. The next room towered above Mark and was filled with pillars in a sort of courtroom style setup. Upon further inspection each pillar had a different piece of wisdom passed down from the ages. Another locked door was ornately girded with details. the name clearly emblazonded on the door and otherwise said all it needed for Mark to know whose tomb that was. But, try as he might there was no way to get the door open.

"Can get in that way." Mark mumbled

" _To what gain ?_ " Kalda asked

"I'm sorry ?" Mark said

" _To what gain would you seek to open such a door ? It is after all your Ancestor buried within, and therefore there's really no means or worry if getting to him, the tomb is sealed, why worry of getting inside ? Its not what we're here for_ " Kalda said, as much as Mark didnt want to think on it, Kalda was right, he wasnt there to seek riches of his ancestors, he was there to meditate.

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Kalda walking towards something before disappearing, Mark headed that way and soon found himself in a circular room; in the center of it was a statue of white marble edged with silver and hints of blue but carefully kept. Staring at it Mark saw it was the spitting image of Kalda himself. The name was even there. "In memoram of our friend Kaldakava" Mark read.

For long moments Mark stood and stared, taking in every detail on Kalda's face as Kalda manefested right there next to Mark, " _It looks good enough I suppose._ " He pointed at the left hand " _Even got my ring design right too! Armor looks great considering not many ever saw me wearing it and lived to tell about it..._ " Kalda mused taking in his own statue as Mark stood there.

"Ring ?"

Kalda pointed to the left hand again, " _Before my death I was married, a lovely lady, you saw her briefly, Xeir Zith. We were married only ten days before my death. If my statue still has my ring..._ " Kalda stepped up to it, but no it was carved of white stone, the wearabouts of Kaldas ring only Diamond and Light knew. Very briefly as Mark looked around the room seeing the well kept tapistries on the walls. Kalda continued speaking as Mark found a scene from a bar, Kalda, two women, and several patrons in a bar fight " _Ahh, yes... the Mended Trumpet Inn... Fun times, looking back on it...so long ago._ "

Mark pointed to one of the two women; her back was to him in the tapistry yet it was the same stature of the woman in his sisters room during his vision "She looks familar." he tapped on the womans back. It was Diamond. Kalda looked hard at the woman in the tapistry but couldnt recognise her for a brief moment until Mark found another picture, the wedding day, two women side by side, Mark could barely make out both womens features but one of them looked like how he envisonoed his sister at times to look, at least, aside from the pearlwhite and silver scales and the beautiful diamond scale at the base of her neck just above her breasts.

Kalda nodded " _Ah, Diamond, yes I remember, she was Xeir Ziths sister, younger by about seven hundred years, but still sisters. We dragons could live a long time if allowed to do so. The last time I remember seeing her was... Well, the wedding, I think, perhaps once after before I..._ " his voice trailed off, but Mark understood what he meant. Diamonds face was not detailed, but it was clear of the name, that diamond seemed to glitter with light

In contrast to Diamond's either intentionally or unintentionally blurred face, Xeir Ziths face was in sharp detail, the angle of the tapistry was as if she was looking at the statue and the statue to her. silver glittered on her ringfinger of her left hand.

"Xeir Zith, I assume?"

" _Correct...you even pronounced her name correctly...well done"_ Draconian was extremely hard to speak; as if someone was scratching out the inside of one's throat while speaking it. For Mark to have picked up the pronounciation so quickly meant his bond with Kalda was growing each second he conversed with him. Mark's vision blurred for a second and he squinted them shut before opening them again slowly, a pained look on his face as he looked back to the statue. It looked...so similar to Elsa's face and body-type. The only thing different was the height...Xeir's statue was at least a couple of feet taller than he was, and the vision of Kalda was the same height as the statue.

"Were you always so tall as a human?"

 _"No...not normally. We weren't that much different...I suppose your ancestors wished to make her seem larger than life...they wouldn't be too far off."_ Kalda said with a soft chuckle. Xeir Zith's natural form was huge to put it in descriptive terms

For a long period there was quiet, finally Mark asked "How?"

" _How ... what ?_ "

"Your marriage, How did it end ?"

" _That..._ " Kalda seemed to falter... He couldnt fully remember. execept for an explosion and the last thing he saw was a serevely burned woman dressed in black and dark silver. " _Is a very good question_ " When he did not speak further Mark noticed he was staring at the tapistry of him and Xeir Zith. two silver dragons entwined with each other in love. Mark could have sworn he saw a single tear trail down Kalda's face over a faint scar

 **Arendelle**

 **Yaen District**

 **at that same moment**

As the Templar Captain's headless body sank to its knees then fell over with a sloppy thud to the cold pavement of the road within the District. There was still fighting going on. Even though their more experienced Sister was tired, it was clear as she had been fighting the guy for twenty straight minutes, long enough to make anyone tired. One offered a place to rest and recover her strength, but at Marions stern shake of her head the large group of recruits fanned out into pairs to hunt out the rest of the Templars in the district to thin their numbers

In the next intersection there was a fight to be had, townspeople were cheering apparently. When Marion got closer she saw why. Princess Anna was in a fistfight with another Templar, several others were on the ground in heaps but still alive. It was then Marion saw it. Something glittered in the mans hand, Anna knew what it was, it resonated something, an energy unlike any other weapon. She ducked his fist, quickly using the massive mans weight against him she tripped him and sent him sprawling, thanks to training with the Twins, the sisters of Mark Wolfe, Anna had become skilled in hand to hand combat. Going so far as to using brass knuckles when training with Marks sisters

And this guy had a pair she wanted. Swiftly trading blows with the man she broke his arm, the man screamed and passed out when she socked him in the forehead hard enough to knock a man out. "Oy!" She said pulling the Brass Knuckles free of the mans hand as he came to, She slid it on her right hand. "My brass knuckles!" She slugged the guy, knocking him out as he looked at her drunk on pain. the man slid to the icy pavement, his nose missing from his face

It was then as the crowd dispersed Tiri and Chairty had also arrived on the scene. Flares went up elsewhere in the district as Templars were either routed or drivien from the district. Seeing the man fall to the pavement only meant one thing, trading looks Charity smiled "Just in time." She said simply, her face covered by a scarf similar to Marions own.

Tiri went right up to the outcold Templar and went through his pockets as Anna held her injured hand, the one without the brass knuckles on it, her knuckles had been skinned raw. "Nice shot, I think you got him" Tiri said.

Marion approached, fixing her scarf a bit before looking to Anna's injured hand. "Looks like you've had some fun..." she said, drawing out a sort of spray bottle from one of her pockets. It was disinfectant and she held out her hand to the Princess. "This may sting a bit, but it'll clean your knuckles. Last thing the Kingdom needs is you getting horribly ill." she said with a soothing tone as she applied the disinfectant to Anna's knuckles and the surrounding skin before snatching some bandage tape from a passing recruit's pouch and beginning to wrap her hand tightly, but gently as well.

"I've always heard you could kill a man with a punch...didn't think it'd be you who'd show me that the saying was right though." she said calmly, a smile behind her scarf at her jest.

Anna smiled, but hissed slightly when the spray hit her raw knuckles, she nodded as well however. "Thank you. And you're welcome" It was those words that made even Charity smile behind her own scarf. the fact that Anna was in a thin cloak yet her normal daily clothing, she was not the least bit phased by the cold much like her sister she'd gotten used to it. "I was following Olaf, trying to find Serenity or Serena about that thing he was hugging. Then he got away"

"To be expected. Technology like that tends to get away when you least expect it" Tiri mused thoughtfully remembering the RC truck darting from the ship. She herself had chased it onto the ship to begin with.

"Either way you defend yourself well." Charity mused aloud with a slight bow towards Anna. She had been there when the Princess was born, after all she was requested by the Queen. Bodyguard and all that. But that was then, this was now. Charity forced herself to focus on the present. it wasnt easy.

"Thank you" Anna said, giving a confused look towards Chalice, the owner of the Brothel apparently, normally Anna thought such owners lived within their buildings and never left, like how her parents had done when she grew up, they rarely left the castle. And when they did it was only for brief moments to get to or from a carraige.

Tiri stood back up then looking upwards as a bright white flare shot into the sky, the District was clear. "So" She mused thoughtfully, "Who's gonna climb the tower and light the fire ?"

There was a moment of silence before Marion snatched a lighter from another passing recruit and flicked it open to light the flame and then close it. "You should. Show the people that their princess is capable of taking on the people who opress them and win." She said calmly to Anna. Plus, it'd be a good climbing/free-running lesson for Anna, who would need to learn quickly if she wanted to continue to help, or ever catch up to that RC car.

"Me ?" Anna asked confused "But I was looking for you or Serena or Serenity, someone really, Elsa and Georgina are somewhere in the Castle I cant find them anywhere" the princess explained they'd gone back to the Castle and when she stopped to talk to Kai her sister had disappeared with georgina somewhere. "So when I couildnt find Elsa or Georgina I figured to look for you or one of the twins, but I cant even find Snowfeather"

Through out the verbal tennis Tiri watched with an amused expression on her face. She remembered briefly a time when something similar had happened between Charity and Marion back in London when Marion stole her first car so skillfully at the time. Who knew a seventeen year old could drive that well and never gotten behind the wheel of a car before.

"I have an idea" Charity at last spoke up after Anna explained herself, sure the Princess could easily geto t the roof of the Castle without a problem, heck she'd even used the castle as a sled hill on occasions. When the two women looked to her she said simply "Why dont the two of you light it ? there may be more Templars inside once you light it and there may even be a few atop it defending the fire barrels up there as well."

Of course when the thought of both Anna and Diana were to go up the outside of the twoer was mentioned Tiri giot to work setting up something, it ended up being a mortar of a sort. using some ice she crafted the base of the thing then when she spotted a Templar looking down at them she said simply "Fire in the hole!" And launched a killer snowball straight at the guy a good hundred meters into the air

That alone drew all four pairs of eyes to her. With a raised eyebrow Anna stared as Marion spoke "Is that a 105 ?" Tiri nodded.

"I'll cover you from here, get going ladies!" Tiri fired off another snowball, this one slamming into a window and sending the guy behind it tumbling off his perched down the tower's core

Anna was about to ask where Tiri, or in this case Chalice, had come up with such a construct, it looked like one of the firing systems for the fireworks barges. which it partly was as the Yaen district bordered the Fjord directly as Diana grabbed her and the two scampered off towards the nearby row of buildings and when Diana darted up the wall effortlessly, Anna watched. "You coming ?" Marion asked from the three story rooftop.

"I dont think so" Anna replied

"Dont think, just do, come on!" Marion called down.

"Dont think, just do ? What ?".Anna mumbled looking about, finding a path upwards she took it and soon both women were at the top. a good hundred meters into the air, it was like the clock tower actually, but not as high up. Seeing the view from above was one thing, but then again what Diana was doing took her attention as Marion lit the lighter, then used it to light up a torch. Marion then stepped out onto a beam as a eagle flew off it. "What are you doing ?"

"Lighting the tower, what's it look like I'm doing ?" Marion replied

"Well, you have a lit torch in one hand and you're impecably balanced on a beam sticking out over... nothing whatsoever." Anna said simply

Marion smiled, "Watch and learn" She said as she tossed the lit torch onto the pile of hay and fire barrels, she then turned around and swan dove off the beam, heading towards the ground she flip onto her back into a large haystack on a nearby roof. Anna saw Marion easily hop out and step aside. Well, one way to learn was to do it herself, doing the exact same motions Anna too dove off the roof in her first Leap of Faith, a few moments later and both women were back with Tiri and Charity, whom Anna was introduced as Sile, Charity;'s fake name. and apparently the business partner of Chalice

Inside the den wasnt much better as Marion entered with her key she had pilfered off the now dead and headless Templar, which as well bcome apparent soon quite common with her on the warpath to liberate dens. Marion motinoed for quiet as she and Anna went to a door, on the other side were two lower ranked Templars, rookies, literally. "What's that noise ?" said one

"Just the sound of you being an idiot" said his fellow

"Oh, right," Replied the first to speak, "limp biscuit"

"What's that supposed to mean ?" came the question

"Nothing it just needed to be said asshole"

"Shutup bluetard" Everyone called the Rookie on the den Bluetard because of his hair color of choise bring a neon blue. which stood out like a smurf in the Saraha Desert

Marion and Anna struggled to stay quiet as the two men started fighting each other, with luck Marion mused, these jerks could kill each other and leave them out of it. that was exactly the case as was apparent when two solid thuds were heard and Marion opened the door, Anna promptly turned around and threw up into a trashcan at the sight. A few moments later and the Assassins began cleaning out what the Templars left

 **Arendelle**

 **Wolfe District**

 **Twenty minutes later**

 **Broken Arm Tavern**

Arm Wolfe's tavern was full of business that day, the earlier morning fight was but a dim memory, daily there were fights happening at all hours there anyhow. But was unexpected was for a young woman, her face covered, to enter the tavern. A young man was behind the bar at the moment as the owner was busy in the upstairs eating area. The pale black eyes looked Diana over carefully as men leered in her direction. "Oy, leave her be ey!" the barkeeper grumbled at the men and waved off a few of them. Some of the men grumbled. There was something about how the woman had two hilts at her hip without blades visible that made him wonder where he'd seen such a thing before.

Where had he seen such a thing before ? The bar keeper stank of alchol as Diana stepped up to the counter and the guy leaned on it "What can I get for you madam ?" the drunken keeper asked. The sheer scent of alchol could send a man to the floor just by inhaling, yet Marion worked in such places back in London with stronger stouter stuff and didnt get phased in the slightest by the sheer strength of the alcohol on the breath of the young Shadowblack.

"Up here" A familar voice said from above where Marion stood at the bar, Charity had picked a low table and sat at it. Arm had influence thanks to a certain Chinese assassin in order to have different table types. not that it mattered the two floor tavern common room area had a buncha folk in it. But for now it was calm. For the moment. Arm was also seated at the low table. He seemed curious to why his sister was back in town after twenty years, and the fact his niece was there too. He made a note to have anything for Marion, or for her mother, and also Mark, and especially the Queen and Princess, their meals on the house

Marion narrowed her eyes and nodded in dismissal to the barkeep before turning to her mother's voice and approaching her calmly. "I-is...is this...Uncle Arm?" She said in a low voice, an uneasy excitement in her tone and spreading across her body language as she sat and leaned against the table.

Charity nodded, but it was Arm that spoke, "Aye, that it is. And who be this lovely waif covering her face in a lovely scarf ?" Arm had a look of humor, yet his eyes said more to him then met the eye was clearly apparent. "I was truly not expecting either of you, let alone Mark himself, to pay me a visit not six hours ago." Arm said

Charity turned to her brother. "Mark was here ?"

Arm nodded "Yes, the Queen was with him, though she dont hold her alcohol as well as Mark does." apparently nobody clued Arm in that Elsa was too much of a lightweight the barkeeper alone could knock her out slam drunk.

Charity however saw something of pain in her daughters eyes, "What is it ?" It was the pain of memories.

Marion shook her head. "I...just remembering the last time I saw my Uncle...not exactly happy circumstances." she said calmly. She sighed but then looked to her uncle. "What is my brother up to? Any ideas?" Of course by now no one knew what Mark was completely up to; perhaps not even Mark himself anymore, but it would be best to try and get a lead on his whereabouts.

"From what I understand it is more of what the Queen is up to, I happened to mention her mother, Queen Idun paying me a visit after the two of you had." Arm replied, he detailed the brief meeting word for word before it got interrupted by Templars. "Those men were apparently sent to follow the Queen, next thing I know after leading them to the kitchen, they leave, havent seen either of them since" Arm said he snickered. "I can remember a time just before that, maybe the same day. I figured it'd be the next day when your brother came back for more. Nearly lost a tooth in that fight I recall before you two had to jump out that window" Arm jerked a thumb towards the aforementioned window, which had since long been repaired.

Charity, at mention of the jumping out the window, raised an eyebrow, what ? She nodded however at mention of the not so happy circumstances concerning the last time Marion had seen Arm. "care to talk about it ?" Marion was normally calm when it came to the past, not trying to put it off, Using her anger and sadness of the loss of her home and the seeming loss -at the time she was three- of her beloved brother. So rather then let her anger and sadness control her, she used it as fuel to keep her focused. But there was the question of what her brother was up to.

"I havent seen either of them since the brief fight we had here six hours ago. Last I knew they were looking for a journal of a sort. At least the Queen was looking for it, something tells me Mark is looking for something too, but what I dunno, couldnt tell honestly." Arm mused thoughtfully as he flipped a bowl over and poured a bit of wine into it for Marion.

Marion listened intently while slowly removing the scarf around her face, fair, untarnished skin revealed to the world for the first time in broad daylight since she arrived to Arendelle again. She took a drink of the wine and smiled at its texture as it slid down her throat. "Mark doesn't know what he's looking for half the time...it's remarkable he finds anything at all. But then, he is officially Clan Leader...I suppose his genes wouldn't have unlocked if he wasn't worthy..." she said calmly. She'd done her own research it seemed into the Wolfe Clan and its deeper goings on. She always knew more than she let on.

"But that was six hours ago; knowing how fast Mark moves when he wants something, Elsa's undoubtedly found whatever she was looking for and then some, and Mark...is probably half way across the kingdom by now since the last time I saw him..." which was not too long ago.

"Yes" Arm replied thoughtfully with a nod, "people have been speaking of a new vessel docking at the Port district not moments ago. Some say Queen Idun herself returned with it but was never seen ?"

"A ship ?" Charity said softly. She remembered a ship, well, the deckplans, the design, the need for such a massive warship. But where it was hidden was long lost, not even the Templars were able to find it! She cast a glance towards her daughter. "Tell me you found it ? Or at least something to do with its arrival ?" Little did she know that her daughter was at the helm of the massive ship.

Marion nodded. "The Whitesparrow." she sipped her wine again. "We found it...sailed it from the vault beneath the palace...it's at the main harbor now if you wish to see her." she said calmly, looking to her mother. "That was only...hmm, an hour or two max ago." she added.

Charity smiled and then removed her own scarf even though her face was uncovered already. "tThen why the pain ?" She asked, "your eyes show pain, as if something you saw made you remebmer the past and because of it it pained you. What exactly did you remember aside from seeing your Uncle Arm ?" Of cours she was not exepecting to be told or hearing about jumping out a window. "And when did you jump out a window anyhow ?" She remember the two scampering off earlier that day. Never really worrying actually, Arendelle by that point was a safe kingdom. But all that changed with the attack on the Manor.

But a new thought entered her mind and it apparently entered Arms mind at the same time. "Do you remember the last thing you said to your father ?"

Marion gulped down another mouthful of wine, averting her eyes now. "It was a blur of a day when we left. Everything I knew was burned in front of me. Why wouldn't I be in pain when Arm here was the last thing I saw before I left?" She asked, her tone stinging a bit before she realized her tone, and blinked; the lack of a disciplining smack from her father surprising her. Since the last time she used that tone was...all the way back then.

She looked to her uncle and shook her head. "No, I don't remember what I said to him...like I said, it was all a blur."

Charity nodded, but it was again Arm who spoke up. "The last time I saw Marcus was... oh... I dont exactly remember." Truth was he saw a guy looking a lot like Marcus, but wasnt solidly sure it was him only moments before Marion showed up in his tavern. "But I know it was before the fire, before you guys came and I took you to safety." Though it was clear the last thing marion had seen wasnt just Arm, it was Arendelle as a whole, off the stern of a ship.

"Either way, you had to face pain, but there is also questions behind that look. and tone" Sure Marion was an adult, and Charity was her mother, but Charity never had to slap Marion when the young woman was growing up in London. Mostly out of love, but she did dicipline her daughter at times. "I remember asking your brother at dinner why he looked... drunk. But, instead of answering me, he looked at you." Hey, Marion was three mark was eight, Mark couldnt hold his alcohol back then any better then Elsa did only six hours ago.

Charity smiled and shook her head, "it does not matter right now. Point of the matter is simple, there is pain and questions evident in your eyes, and we got through the pain, but its still there. I know its hard lying to Mark, but soon you can tell him, we both will. But until then, he cant know either of us are here." She went throughtfully quiet as Arm got up to get another keg of wine from a nearby stack of clay pots filled with the stuff of various flavors. Finally Charity spoke again. "You liberated a Den I hear, and you look winded. That normally never happens. Too many guards, or a few skilled ones ?"

"One Skilled one...the Captain. Twenty straight minutes I fought him till his swords shattered and I beheaded him." she said, wanting to move past the look of pain and all the lies. Marion poured herself more wine and drank. "He must have been on something to keep up with me for that long, but I got him. Mark would say I need more training...and he'd be right. The more I think about it...he's just like Papa used to be." she smiled. Though what she could remember of her father was very little, Mark fit the bill so closely; no wonder indeed he was Clan Leader by birthright.

She sighed, and drank more wine before ordering some meats.

Arm brought back another clay keg of wine as the meats, some cheeses, and a few breads were brought to the table by a waiter. "Mark seems focused on something, that is certain, he even warned me to not try ot lie, he can see things. I think he's got the sight and abilities like the histories had some of the clan having. Though I'm not sure of the age thing. Mark at twelve hundred years old ? Nah, dont wanna think about it." He tapped his index and ring fingers into the tight waxpaper tied atop the clay keg and opened the seal. "The way I look at it," he continued as he poured three more bowls of wine "Mark has the look of am an determined to find something. Be it a vault, or knowledge, or an item. He'll find it."

Charity however went quietly thoughtful as Marion detailed the fight with the templar Captain a few districts away in the Yaen District. Finally she nodded. "In London there was a drug that you hijacked twice but never used. its street term was speed, methanphetamines. Designed to enhance relfexes and slightly enhance endurance. Being that these templars are now armed with weaponry we dealt with in London, thankfully nothing hardlight, yet. We cant rule out the possible access to drugs. the last thing we want is Abstergo to be given their men the stuff here in Arendelle."

That did it then, if the Templar Captains were using drugs to keep up with Marion in speed alone, that spelled lots of trouble. So they werent just looking for lost british gold bound for Sweden, they were also looking for another type of gold, a crystal powder gold. Speed by its street term. And if Templars were using it. Not even her iDuradaeden/i Piece of Eden designed swords and already well learned and trained speed wouldnt be enough to take down a Templar Captain on her own.

Marion grumbled to herself softly. "He's been trying to figure out who I am under my mask. I can see it in his eyes whenever he looks at me. Somehow he hasn't been able to...based on what I can sense coming from his body while he looks around, he should be able to see through just about anything barring a few feet of lead." she said. And Mark had control too... which urked her. He'd improved so much upon living with Snowfeather and Blackmane for his adolescence, and it scared her a little.

"Speed, huh? Heard that stuff will rot your body from the inside out. I seen some of the addicts I stole it from; they weren't pretty." she said simply, pausing for a moment to shudder before eating a piece of cheese.

Arm took the empty clay keg to the windowsil, whiel standing there and washing the thing out he watched the street below and saw a friend not far off. Well this was going to be a rather eventful evening. the person he saw carried a staff of a sort, it looked nice, not exactly something ornate, yet something worth using to walk around with. But it didnt matter, almost as soon as he saw the person with the staff said person disappeared into a shop just a building or two over.

"Didnt Tiri say that her mothers magic kept Mark from seeing who you truly are ?" Charity mused, at her daughters nod she too nodded. "whatever magic Tiri's mother used to protect you also might protect me. But even then I have natural barriers in place if Mark tries, but I dont know if they may work or not." Charity made to stand. "Get some rest, eat, and relax, you're in good company here, Arm will ensure you arent disturbed by anyone unless truly important. Ok ? I'm going to go to the port and shipping docks and get ship manifests to go through, if any ship is carrying drugs we can start locating the dealers and where the shipments come in." She gave her daughter a gentle kiss on the forehead as she passed her and headed down the stairs. putting her scarf on as she did so. Not many people used the transport skills unless in private. Out in public it'd cause a unwanted scene.

 **half hour later**

The doors open to the bar once again only seconds after Charity left, and in, of all people, walked the Princess of Arendelle, why in the world would she go there ? This tavern, like Roughwater, was dangerous, and also slightly more reputed to be disreputable. But then nobody dare try to rob, or hurt the Princess, after all most of the men saw her right hand wrapped in bandages, and her left hand kittered with silver and brass of brass knuckles. the Princess of Arendelle was armed, and ready to fight, yet she carried a staff, and didnt know how to use it one bit. She spotted Diana up the stairs at a table, Diana saw her and waved her up to join her. Anna did just that. the tavern had two sets of stairs, two over the door, and two towards the back, all leading to the second floor.

"I thought I'd find you here" Anna said, she saw that Diana was eating some meats, and had a light wine, but nothing to get drunk on. "Eating so soon ? I find it strange that you can kill a man, or find a dead body, and be able to eat afterwards. How is that possible ? Does that come with being an Assassin ?" Anna asked.

Marion nodded to Anna's question. "Indeed. Once you've killed enough people and seen enough...you get used to it. Learn to tune it out. Kind of like how you've learned to tune out magic by now." she said, offering Anna an untouched bowl of food. "You need to eat anyway; as physical as you are, you'll need protein." She smiled.

She looked to the staff and raised her eyebrow. "What's this?" she asked.

Anna nodded and sat at table, the staff she laid next to them to Marion's left. "Walking stick." Anna said around a mouthful of chicken. "The den we liberated, insdie one of the closests was just walking sticks. I wen through them, I liked this one, dunno why it just felt right." But why had she found it ? "After I found you gone, I wanted to show it to you when I found it. I had to go looking for you, most of the Recruits directed me to the Manor but nobody there had seen you or knew what you look like so I came this way when one recruit reported seeing you ewnter one of these shops". thankfully Anna could hold her alcohol bette then Elsa by a whole lot.

"Why ?" Anna asked then after taking a sip of wine

"I think its a Piece of Eden, it looks really nice." Diana said

"Its just a walking stick, feels alright I guess, but if you say so" Apparently Anna didnt recognise it as a Piece, just an ornate staff.

"So you found a Staff of Eden huh" Diana asked Anna as they ate at a rather nice tavern owned by Marions own uncle Arm in a rather oriential part of the Kingdom.

"What this ?" Princess Anna pointed to the orante gold staff "I came across it in that den we liberated as I mentioned. After you left the den I stayed to help clean it up when this fell out of a old safe at my feet, so to speak"

"Even so, its old, and it is a Piece of Eden too, I've seen pictures of similar Pieces just like it, those guys might want it." Diana replied; her gaze was taken by a squad of Templars that arrived.

Anna noticed the men enter as well. "Great, what are we gonna do ?"

"How're your sword skills ?" Diana asked

"What ?" Anna gave her a confused look

"Ah, she who speaks, does not know, she who knows, does not speak, surely you're masterful, let me" Diana stood from the low seat and went to the soldiers

"Where did you get that weapon ?" The leader asked while pointing towards Anna and the Piece of Eden

"Its a fake" Diana lied shaking her head after looking at the thing. "You can find anything these days in the traders market districts" she said

"Out of way crazy woman" the Templar said shoving Diana aside as the group went to Anna the lead Templar held out a hand saying "Hand it over" when Anna didnt at first the man then said "Hand over the weapon, or die"

Anna raised an eyebrow and looked towards Diana, who sublty nodded. Anna tossed the Piece to Marion, and the mother of all bar fights ensued as Marion threw the remains of a loaf of bread at the closest soldier before spitting most of the wine she'd drunk in his face and catching the staff Anna threw to her. Easily blocking and defending both her and Anna with the staff of eden Marion kicked one Templar in one direction, then used her foot to flip the now cleared of dishes table up at another, breaking it on the guy. Then she grabbed up her scarf and motioned Anna to run for it.

Anna went to the nearby stairs and stopped as a group of Templars spotted them and started up, Marion bumped into her and Anna almost spilled onto the oncoming Templars, Thankfully Marion managed to grab Anna by the cloak and pull her back onto her feet as a group of four templars ganged up and Marion had to do some fancy footwork.

Which however still lead to Anna going over the low railing as the four templars tried to stab at Marions stomache and as she used the staff to block and also dodge backwards out of reach, her movement caused Anna to go over the rail, thankfully Anna managed to grab the edge just in time, but it was still a good four meter or so drop to the lower level. Sadly Marion didnt notice her newfound friend going over the side until after she had sent the four Templars flying into another table in a heap of arms and legs before looking around for Anna and quickly putting her scarf back on as she did so.

She found her dangling by the fingers from the ledge. "Diana, help!" Anna called up, Marion reached a hand down, but dove over the rail to the lower level as more Templars closed in on her. Better to fight in a more open area then in a narrow ledge. no telling if there'd be another Templar on speed or not. Anna unfortunately let go and started to fall. Marion dove forwards as Anna landed on her, sending them both to the floor in a heap. "Ah thank you!" Anna said, before Diana could say anything however a Templar came running at them.

"Sorry!" Diana said simply to Anna, who looked at her confused as Marion used the staff to launch Anna at the Templar, the Princess slammed into the Templar and the guy behind him as Marion got to her feet and using the staff, fought off a few attacks as Anna got back to her feet. Easily catching and sending backwards a Templar sword Diana said to Anna "Protect yourself!" And handed her the staff.

Anna stared, she didnt know how to staff fight! "What ?"

Diana was about to reply when a templar was swinging at Anna from behind, with a sudden "Yike!' Marion pulled Anna from danger and smacked the Templar dead in the face with a closed fist, sending the man flying to the floor in a heap. then she went full on bar brawl right then and there. Marion vs a dozen or so Templars, and also Anna vs about half that number at best.

As she went towards one Templar another grabbed her arm, pulling Marion backwards, Leaning backwards she kicked first one, then pushed off the Templar that held her, kicked another, then spoun about and slugged dead in the face the guy that tried to pull her backwards, with a brief intake of breath Marion was tackled and all but pushed into the bar, wherein the Barkeeper slammed a empty bottle on one of the mens head. Shattering it {the bottle} as the man sank to the floor as Marion rolled onto her front as another Templar tried to bodyslam her into the thing.

Anna, who was not accustomed to fighting with a staff of any kind, was taking wild swings and screaming at three different Templars as marion backed up to a post and sidestepped a Templar, the man went flying as she used the mans weight and speed to his disadvantage and sent him smashing into a table. A chair broke on her back, knocking her against the post. She kicked at the offending item before grabbing the pair of antlers off the post and using the things to defend herself in a rather comical fashion as the barkeep once again drew from the tap another beer for himself and enjoyed the show.

Spinning ther antlers in her hands Marion easily defended herself and attacked her enemies, driving many back and blocking almost all their strikes. Of the three dozen templars sent to find them and take them down or prisoner, all of them were injured somehow, but they kept getting right back up and fighting more. Marion felt herself start to tire, but not as much as she feared, as she found a renewed burst of energy as Anna whacked her first in the side, causing Marion to chuck the antlers at a pair of templars, both men hit the floorboards gored through the chest by the thing as Anna swung over her head and whacked Marion in the top of the head with the Staff of Eden

As Marion was struck a third time by Anna she caught the staff, Anna turned to her confused as Marion pointed at the Templars ready to charge them "Ayee" Marion grunted, then, with Anna also holding onto the staff Marion went into a skillful almost surgical frenzy with the staff. As a Templar tried to strike from behind she backtracked the staff and nailed the man in the side, sending him to the floor in a heap. When two more came at them Marion grabbed the staff and with Anna still holding one end of it had the Princess slam ontop of the two Templars, all three landed in a heap as Anna rolled off the pile as Marion skillfully used the staff and her feet and hands to get a few more templars to back up. Finally Marion used the staff and sent Anna sliding along the floor, like dominos the Templars collapsed as Anna slid under their feet up against the bar as Marion easily dispatched two more groups and finally sent three Templars flying out the back window.

Stabbing the staff into the floor next to her Marion leaned on it almost drunklike and looked about, No more Templars stood or wanted to face her it seemed. "Anyone else ?" She asked simply, the last two Templars who had gotten tro their feet simply broke their swords and fled with their comrades as Marion smirked.

Well that was that.

As she went to help Anna to her feet Marion failed to notice one of the patrons to the tavern still sat at her table, the purple dressed woman simply observed what was going on with a calm demanour and none fo the Templars seemed to care about her much. Pink eyesd ringed in purple simply observed everything carefully, taking in every movement the woman with the staff used. And recognised it movement for movement

The woman smiled and sipped her wine, Diamond was back it seemed; the The woman watched as Marion went to the Princess and helped the other woman to her feet as the owner of the tavern came out and began tossing the offending Templars out on their asses into the street as the two women left; soon finishing her meal the woman left without a word however she left a tip for the tavern owner

 _Arendelle Port_

 _Aboard the Terracotta_

 _Stateroom 7340_

The room was darkened as the winders were covered, lit only by a asingle computer screen as information was typed onto it to find things. Fingers flew over the holographic keypad with ease and information sought was soon revealed. Within seconds of sending in the information requests, Georgina's picture was quickly plastered on the holographic screen. Highlighting a name. "I thought I knew you from somewhere... Princess Yei Jia Jia, missing presumed dead, Large reward is offered for information of your whereabouts..." Car Key smiled. It was force of habit alone that made her look up where she had seen Georgina before.

Now she knew. But what she did not know was why Princess Yei Jia Jia had fled China in the first place


	31. Seqeunce 7 Memory 5

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 7**_

 _ **Memory 5: Snowflake within a Snowflake part 5**_

 **12 Febuary 2052**

 **Arendelle**

 **Midafternoon**

 **Yaeko District {Formerly the Yaen District}**

 _"I and my decendants will protect Arendelle until our dying breath"_

 **\- Wolfe Clan Founder Second Wolfe to Flowerfist the Fair when swearing himself as her bodyguard**

There were funny things about the past and the present, they intertwined to the point wherein each path met the other and they worked in tandem, or they dovetailed, or something. As well become apparent, certain memories hated being repressed or hidden away or forgotten. So as Marion and Princess Anna headed for the palace to speak to Elsa concerning the latest liberated District, trouble was to follow in their footsteps in the form of two shadowy creatures who remained at a distnce yet watched their every move, their eyes locked on the Staff of Eden in Marion's hands as the two headed for the Castle.

It could have been time to take notice of something odd about the place, as if something horrible was about to happen; one could tell.

Those that could tell werent the only ones...

They passed through many groups of people chattering about the recent battle and also someone speaking of a dojo of some form reopening in the district not far away. Anna, having no idea what a Dojo was simply looked to Diana, who shrugged, she wanted to find Tiri over Elsa anyhow, as it was more important to find her adopted mother and in some cases employer, Marks actions made the Icewraith very nervous recently.

But that was nothing compared to the secrets Marion had to keep from her brother, though she was confused about certain things too, Who was Diamond and why was she with a woman named Xeir Zith in her memories ? Why did Marion herself see Arendelle and the ancient Wolfe Clan so long ago ? Actually meet with the Wolfe Caln Matriarch Yaeko Wolfe for that matter.

Anna though could tell that Marion was confused about something, though she was more concerned wit he fight back at the tavern. Looking back at it Anna spoke "I dont get it, you beat those guys down, with a walking stick. How ? I mean, Those guys wanted it, and you fought them off with it" Its not every day someon with a iwalking stick/i beat down the Templar squads after it. Three dozen men at that. "Though I'm still a bit sore after that party" Anna said rubbing her back and right hand a bit.

Not far away a third pair of eyes watched the two women enter the district, it was sparsly populated and there were more Dojo businesses within it where the Wolfe Clan normally trained their soldiers in combat. the woman with a dark purple cloak covering her completely and keeping her face in shadow simply watched the two women enter one of the many streets of the District. She remembered this place easily and swiftly disappeared into one of the many side streets filled with merchants and people

It was here that Diamond decided it was a good time to make herself known, unfortunately, it wasnt in the best of ways to do just that... An hour after their barfight Diana started choking, and soon collapsed clutching at her neck, a pained look on her face as she could breathe just fine, but it was hurting enough to cause her to choke on her own words all but upchuck her recent meal.

Throwing aside the Staff of Eden as Anna rushed to her side "Are you alright ?"

It took a minute, but there was something glasslike glowing under Diana's dark scarf. Like a crystal of ice. After about aminute Diana managed to calm her hammering heart and nodded, "I'm OK" She said,her voice had a slightly more regal more aged tone to it as her hand went to the base of her neck, she felt something that wasnt there before. It was hard against her fingers

A dragonscale

The glow faded however from the strage suddenly appearing... scar ? as Diana stood up, she turned to where she had tossed the Staff of Eden, and went to pick it up, but she hadnt taken more then one step when the thing flew from where it landed into her hands. "What the uoinota ?!" Diana all but shrieked in surprise

Anna stared at Diana, "Did you just... speak like a dragon ? Wait, what happened to your eyes ?" Marions eyes somehow had gained a silver ring edged in gold around the iris; but that wasnt the only thing that was different as somehow Diana had disappeared; in her place was a white haried woman with a slight ripple of scales of beautiful silverwhite. A white dressed young woman with white hair and almost completely silver eyes stood there. "Diana ?" A confused white eyebrow raised at the name

Uh oh

"Who is Diana ? I'm Diamond... I remember this place." Diana went towards a Dojo gate and quickly cast a shard of mirrorlike glass to look over it. "Odd, it looks the same on the outside, but inside its... ruins ?" Anna stared at the white haired beauty in the whire robes, what looked like armor shined underneath the cloth but it made no sounds whatsoever as Diamond walked about examining everything she could.

Finally Anna figured out how to speak and her mouth started working. "Hello Diamond was it ? I'm Anna, Princess Anna, and..." Anna started to say but Diamond cut her off as she took up the staff and started spinning it about much like how Marion had done in the tavern only an hour ago.

"A pleasure to meet you Princess, Judging by the style of design of your outfit I'd say this is Arendelle right ? The Yaeko District. It must be, I recognise this street, Yaenen Street, the street over should be... Cei street ?" Diamond paced a bit thoughtfully in the street pointing in random directions until she felt eyes on her and turned in the direction she felt the eyes from, briefly spotting shadows fleeing into another street. It was then reality caved in on her and her eyes went wide.

Oh dear

"What is it ? Something wrong ?" Anna asked, already a bit amused at how Diamond was acting, like a kid in a candy shop pretty much until she suddenly got rather edgy.

"Oh this isnt good, come on!" Diamond took Anna by the hand and lead her deeper into the distict.

"Are you crazy I barely know you, and you're dragging me into places I've never been." Anna cried out.

"Will you relax a minute ? If this is Yaenen Street and the next street over is Cei street, then this is the Yaeko District of Arendelle. And if this is the Yaeko Distrist, then I'm in big trouble if I'm found to be here." Diamond said once they were safe in an alley between Dojos.

"What has you so riled up ? Diana and I just liberated this district." Anna said, she explained the fight with the Templars she had along with watching Diana fight a guy one on one for a good twenty minutes or so.

Diamond held up a hand to prevent Anna from saying anything more. Pointing to herself she said. "You called me, Diana, right ?" Anna nodded, "That is good then, last thing I need though is for certain people to find me, or even know I'm here, so if we can get out of here and to safety, say the Blackrock Temple, or the Wolfe Manor, either one, We'll be safe at either place. The last thing I want is for some Shadows to find me, or learn I'm alive" With that Diamond turned and walked face first into the stomach of a Shadow Kobold and then bounced back a pace completely freaked out yet oddly keeping her cool "Whoa! Speak of the devil! Hi... Romundo, Basil, is that Basil ? Guys how are you long time no see!" Diamond said briefly startled by the two shadowy kobolds staring her and Anna down and speaking first to one then pointing at the other as she spoke, "Speaking of no see, how about you guys forget you ever saw me, huh ? For old times sake ?"

 **WHACK**

Anna's eyes widened and then she flinched visibly as One of them slugged Diamond in the chest dead against the strange scale; which sparked like a energy ball, sending her flying backwards against the side of the muldeer stable where she left a brief impression of herself in the wood and stone that briefly glowed as if struck with Ice like what Elsa made. "That's a no," Diamond said getting back to her feet and using her magic to pull the Staff of Eden to her hands before the Kobolds could grab it. To Anna she said however. "Run, I got this!" And procceeded to rain hell on earth on the two Kobolds

Anna turned and bolted, but she didnt get far as one of the two shadowy creatured turned and moved insanely fast, seemingly in one place then another within a heartbeat to block Anna's path so easily, Anna stopped in her tracks and backtracked quickly, tripping on a pile of firewood before someone came out of nowhere above with a blast of golden energy. Anna stared as a woman in purple and pink dropped to the ground between her and the Kobold, within a heartbeat the strange woman and the Kobold were trading blows amazingly swift

The Kobolds then broke away, hardly breathing hard at all, as if they'd only gone for a brisk walk. Soon their breathing returned to normal as their fur fluttered in the breeze. "The Master wants you." Basil said.

Romundo grunted in agreement. Basil had a large scar over his face, while Romundo's horns were cracked and oozed a shadowy mist. That's how they were told from one another. What made them different as well, was that they were Draco's personal Kobolds. While most Kobolds were shorter and {normally} docile in nature, Draco personally corrupted and bred his own small contingent of the things, making them larger, and more agressive, as well as five times more hardy physically. And also dumber, but hey who was keeping track ?

"Dead or alive doesn't matter...you..." Romundo nodded towards the woman in purple. "...You can die."

"See, now that's just not fair" Diamond said drumming her fingers on the staff before snickering "shoulda forgot you saw me but nooo, you wanted to fight me"

The woman in purple smirked, "That hardly makes things even sided now doesnt it boys ?" she said, her soft silky voice was smoother than milk chocolate if Anna had to compare it with something, the purple and pink dressed woman stood between the Kobolds and Anna as Diamond stood on the other side of them. She snickered though "I was going to offer you the same thing, exact same thing."

"Besides i'm not supposed to be here! What year is it ?" the question was to the woman in purple from Diamond

"Twenty fifty two" came the reply

"I've been gone that long ?"

"Could be, can we focus on the idiots please ?" The woman in purple said

"Good to see you too, Champion" Diamond snickered, the woman in purple wasnt amused. For all intents, Diamond just revealed just WHO the woman in purple was, if her pointed ears hadnt given that fact away.

Basil snorted. "Champion. He died long ago."

"Master told us."

"Now begone!"

The two rushed forward in perfect sync, shadow mist surrounded them and made them harder to hit and see, their claws slicing through the buildings around them as they slashed towards their targets.

The woman in purple brought up her hands first in a block then a grabing movement, halting first one strike then grabbing the arm of the second, but because these Kobolds were bigger, all she was really able to do was flip herself over Basil's arm and get onto its back and kicking it away from Anna as golden light trailed from her clawed fingers. As she lightly landed on the ground the woman smirked "Wrong champion" She then struck fast, golden trails of energy leaving trails in her wake as she moved, striking, blocking and sometimes landing a mark on Basil

Diamond didnt have it much better yet she was also full of ewnergy, the silver, though twenty three at that point, was infact skilled as hell with a staff, and even better without a weapon, but she was wanted by the Master apparently, which sucked. So naturally she defended herself, blocking mostly and at times swinging wild and once or twice connecting with something solid as she heard grunts of either pain or just amusment, it wasnt easy to tell which one with a kobold like these.

Watching the fight evolve and trying to keep out of the combatants way was Anna. there was nobody else about, yet it seemed calm in the district, it was a ghost town wherein the street they were briefly on was packed with people until this fight

The fight indeed evolved uninterrupted as the grunts from both Kobolds were of both Amusement and Pain, which then turned into amusement, even as Diamond slammed Romundo into a wall. He snorted and chuckled as he stood and continued his onslaught towards her. Basil's own body healed quickly after the woman's claws raked down his back a few times, and he turned to swipe at her, claws blazing with darkness.

Basil and Romundo were Draco's two oldest and most powerful and trusted Kobolds, if they couldn't do this job, he'd resort to sending either the most elite of his Shadow Legion, or the Shadowlings themselves. Past that, he'd rather do it himself than send his thus far incompetant children. Draco watched the scene through the mist coming from Romundo's cracked horns, which made him look more like a bull than a Kobold at points.

"Switch!" Basil said, as he and his partner grabbed eachother by the arm and flung themselves at their new enemies as they switched.

The woman in purple and pink snickered at the yell and threw something, it was the size of a small apple, and made apparently of solid gold, a light grenade apparently as the thing went off with the light of a small sun dead between the two kobolds allowing the woman to slam first one then the other fist, which were caught before she sneezed in the things face to get free before catching first one then the other fist in her own purple scaled hands glowing ewith light energy. her pink and purple eyes were bright with energy, and the woman had a look of a joker in her eyes as they took on an impish look, "Getting bored yet boys ?" She asked

Diamond grunted as Basil came running at her like a bull in Spain going after a redshirt after getting a shot of speed dead to the forehead and heart. Swiftly slamming the Staff of Eden into the pavement rocks Diamond was soon in a mad flurry of kicks, punches, dodging, and slapping noises before she herself got slammed into the side of the meledeer stable a second time. From the wall she was briefly stuck in before she vanished and reappeared and slapped aisde Basils reaching hands for the staff, "Getting slammed into a wall will give one a headache" She said before using her own light magic and blasting the Kobold dead on into the wall she previously had been knocked into.

The two Kobolds collided in the wall, the building falling atop of them. All was quiet for a moment before they emerged, bloodied and laughing. "You...good fights...amusement...want to play again...Master calls us home; no dying today." the two spoke in tandem, in broken sentences that made little sense by themselves.

The Shadows began to pool under them and they began to sink as iHis/i voice rang out.

 **"Well done, ladies...Remind me to skin you alive when I capture you."**

And with that, the Kobolds sank into oblivion, gone.

"Great, Mother said he was... taken care of." the woman in purple cast something at the pooling shadows on the ground as it faded, her light magic burning what was left. "He wont get us any time soon."

"I should hope not" Anna said coming to her senses seeing the fight end and gharing the weird voice out of thin air, it was weird and creepy at the same time. "Who were they ? and who are you ?" Anna asked first to Diamond, then to the woman in pink and purple

"Those were Basil and Romundo, Dracos personal aids, the top two of his I think too, they're stronger then his Shadowlings" the woman replied.

"Shoulda forgot they saw me; whould have been a whole lot easier to find Xeir and get back to Mother" Diamond said, though it was weird, Somehow she felt Xeir in two places at once.

The woman smiled "Good to see you too Dia" she said

"Likewise Asaca, may I present Princess Anna of Arendelle, Anna, this is Asaca, mothers last Champion after loss of Xeir Zith's husband Kaldakava"

"A pleasure to meet you Asaca. Are you OK ?" Anna said seeing the injuries on the woman before her as Diamond was pretty well off, her bonwhite scales and diamond scale at the base of her neck glittered with no injuries. Whereas Asaca's arms were torn in many places where purple scales had been ripped lose

"It is a pleasure to meet you Princess, I will be alright once I let Kenwar see to my injuries, come, lets go to a safer area; people are bound to come this way soon and find out the strange sounds from here" Asaca said; she then elad the two deeper into the district to the other side of it. all of the districts in Arendelle had no offical defined borders yet there were some that were predefined by design of the houses built in certain patterns.

A few moments later and they were in a well kept home; another woman waited for them, well dressed yet not exactly outdoing the royals, then again in Arendelle the Royals didnt have much in terms of jewels or finery in terms of clothing. the woman waiting for them however was tall, her white hair was braided down the back and loose on the sides, she was tall compared to Anna, maybe a full head or so.

When Asaca stepped up the path after Diamond shut them inside the courtyard of the Dojo that made Asaca's home for ages since the disappearing of a certain ship and her captain, Asaca made homes for herself across the world every few generations. And most recently made a home in Arendelle, with her was Kanwar, who saw the damage done to Asaca's arms and chest and stepped closer. Anna saw that trhe white robes were dresslike that the woman wore and for a brief moment mistook Kanwar for a queen or Princess, which was in fact wrong on both counts. Kanwar, though dropdead beautiful, was infact the midwife and nursemaid for Light herself. as powerful healer who could heal even the most dire injuries to a person without killing herself.

Kanwar went right to Asaca's side and golden light started forming on her fingertips as she traced trails of light on the cuts, purple scales quickly regrowing without pain where they had been pulled away. "I swear, when the girls were children they werent as damaged as you are, Asaca, how Mother lets me deal with injuries like this and live is beyond me" Kanwar said

"Well hello to you too" Diamond said leaning on the staff before handing it to Anna as Kanwar noticed her, "Arent you gonna check me down too for injuries like old times sake ?"

Kanwar smirked after finishing the basic healing on Asaca, later that evening she'd have to be more through. "With the scales of yours, damage cannot be given, yet... in some cases it is. Come here Diamond, let me look at you." Kanwar then went over Diamond carefully with a critical eye. "What in the world did you two come across now ?" Kanwar asked as she tarced a finger over a cut on Diamonds arm before gathering energy in her freehand and pressing it against Diamonds shoulders, a sudden onrush of energy was heard moving and swirling from Kanwar into Diamond before Diamond spat out some blood.

As Diamond was being cared for Kanwar saw Anna; "Who is this ? You brought one fo the Royals to our home ? Our secret may be out Asaca" Azukar wasnt happy her home was now found out by more then just Diamond

"Long story short, two Kobolds, They were His, and they wanted Dia alive, and wanted me dead, dunno about Anna"

"I'd say alive" Diamond said wiping her mouth; "After all you're the princess of this kingdom, man you look so much like Arenel too!"

"You mean my ancestor ?" Anna asked

"Has it really been ithat/i long ?" Diamond asked, at the nod she too nodded, guess a million years pass pretty swiftly, I mean honestly a thousand year battle, then a few hundreds of thousands of years to heal then another fight when one couldnt heal.

Kanwar nodded "There was nothing I could do, so I advised her on what she could do in order to come back. I think it worked. But it was weird the result, her body broke apart while her soul found its carrier; I never could find the remains of Xeir Ziths body" The verbal tennis confused Anna as Diamond went quiet, but a smile appeared on her face as Asaca returned with a map

"Alright Champion, you and Kanwar are in Arendelle, I am in Arendelle, two of His kobolds are in Arendelle, what are the odds HE is even here ?" Diamond said

"Why do you keep calling me that ?" Asaca asked, clearly confused "I became Mothers champion after Kalda died yes, it wasnt a permament thing it was just until Kalda came back, sure its been a million years but Mother knows exactly what is to happen, she wont take on Draco, that's Xeir Ziths job, and yours" Asaca explained, Diamonds eyes went wide as dinner plates

"My job ? Take on Draco ? Are you insane ?" Diamond asked For a long moment Nobody said anything finally Asaca held up her hand with her fingers spaced just a little bit apart, Which prompted Diamond to mumble "A little bit... great" It made Anna giggle. "Ok, now that my apparent mission is out of the way, whats with the map ?"

Kanwar smirked at the banter and looked briefly over Anna to be sure she was alright before turning back to the other two women as Asaca spoke "It started about two weeks ago, been watching things in the Yaeko District, seems there are lots of people moving out of the place; I managed to track some of the movement to this building here at the center of this district and I want to know whats going on, you with me ?"

"Wait, whats going on in the next district ?" Anna asked, they'd just liberated one, she once more explained what she and Diana, now Dimaond, had done in the Yaeko District, though Anna called it the Yaen District

Asaca smirked "There's a big crime boss in the next District over, I think the three of us can take him down, all we have to do is get inside somehow unnoticed and do it from the inside. It wont be complicated, just get in, find the leader, deal with the leader, then leave" Asaca said, Diamond smirked and pointed to some armor, Templar armor

"Quick!' She said to Anna, "Get into these step ins, We'll find out whats cooking with the Templars in their own outfit and liberate the district at the same time!" Asaca smiled; the three were soon dressed as Templars, their faces were covered and Kanwar saw them off

 **Twenty minutes later**

"The Captain desires your presence" Said a underling Templar to the three newcomers as they stepped into the building without being hindered by anyone. Anna and Asaca were getting the look of the place while Diamond took charge of who to speak to and where to go

Diamond, being snarky like normal apparently spoke up "We aint got any presents the stores wouldnt give us any" Asaca bonked her in the armor, the three went to see the Captain of the District near a desk.

"Your names Ladies ?" the Templar Captain said upon seeing them arrive

"The three Restless Knights" Asaca said indicating the three of them

"Our days aint too hot either" Diamond smirked behind her helmet as Asaca slammed her foot on her own, amazingly the templar captain never noticed their actions; Anna struggled to not laugh and give the act away, this was possibly the easiest way to liberate a district!; there was a key around the Captains neck, the key to the tower above them, all they had to do was grab it and run like hell

Now the only task was to find the right time to steal the key, slit the idiots throat and bookit back to Kanwar without anyone dying on them

 **Blackrock Haven Temple**

 **Wolfe Mausoleum**

 **At that same moment**

Stepped up on muledeer back towards the temple, there was a stables nearby that allowed the beast to be kept there. Stepping away the stable keeper smiled to her and asked why she was there "I'm looking for Master Wolfe, I was hoping he'd be here" This was the first time she'd set foot there herself. This was in a word, scary, yet it ewas oddly peaceful.

"Ah yes" The stablekeeper said simply "Master Wolfe went inside about an hour or so ago I think; He hasnt come out since going in, I can tell you that your majesty. There's a little market just within the Temple entry there, they can tell you more." The stablekeeper said, Elsa thanked him and entered the temple grounds, it was well kept.

Stepping up to first one then another market stall owner who both shook their heads in order of her asking about Mark, the third person pointed towards the darker receesses of the Temple hall. "I saw a man with a hood covering his face go that way" The third stall owner said, "Even tried to offer him a light, he said he didnt need it" The stall owner chuckled, "Can ya believe that, didnt need a light for this place, its pitch dark without even one of our sunlamps!"

Elsa simply smiled, "Thank you." She stepped towards the darker receesses behind the many stalls and found a door leading into the darkness. using her ice magic she crafted a glowing snowflake and went into the darkness with the snowflake lighting her path. Moments later she arrived first at the massive Vault of Stairs that lead downwards. Well this was interesting. One could easily get lost in this place if they didnt know what they were looking for. Finding the steps heading downwards where she saw light on the floor on the lowest level she headed downwards, alarmingly the steps of this massive mausoleum were in perfect condition and seemed to be lined with little lights to denote each step properly

" _Someone is here._ " Mark's mind echoed with Kalda's voice. Mark was currently in the room dedicated to Kalda, himself, with a great statue of him in the center, made from crystal. " _In the vault of Stairs..._ " Who ever it was was heading downt the stairs that woud lead them to either the maze that was the vault of maps, or to the hallway leading to Kalda's monument. Mark's eyes glowed a very dim bronze as he watched the figure carefully, not being able to see who it was clearly through the walls of the Mausoleum.

Rising from his kneeling meditation position, Mark slipped his hood on and walked slowly in a crouch and turned away from Elsa as she entered the hallway, unseen by her as he rounded another corner to wait for her, watching her through the walls. His armor's usual glow was gone, allowing him to blend into the darkness flawlessly as his claws gently clicked against the stone walls while he watched. The sound of the clicks echoing unusually loudly in the empty halls.

An atmosphere of dread fell upon the entire mausoleum, an uneasy feeling that Elsa shouldn't be in there. That she may not be welcome.

The snowflake floated into the room first as she found the hasllway that lead to the statue. Elsa stood and stared. Why did the guy look like Mark... only taller ? She wondered. The snowflake made the room brighter, so it was only one person who could be there still. At least she didnt trip on the stairs. black stone was one thing, but with white light leading the way was hard to keep her step properly.

Elsa shivered, she felt eyes on her, eyes possibly of the dead, but also of the living, but her entire walk she saw nothing of any other creatures. Nor did ashe see any footprints either. It felt scary in there. Maybe she should have done what georgina recommended and wait for Mark to get back on his own. But no, she wanted to see Mark, something troubled him this bad for him to come there. And everyone said he went there and she just felt right in finding him there herself

So she called out softly, though her voice echoed on the silent stone walls. "Mark ?" She had no idea he was behind her ready to pounce.

Mark narrowed his eyes; having not moved from his spot he picked up a pebble from the ground, and tossed it back where she had come from, towards the vault of stairs, the sound of the rock chittering across the ground echoing in the silence. He closed his eyes and listened, drowning out the glow from his eyes and encasing him completely in darkness. He slowed his breathing, made sure he couldn't be heard, at all, as even his heartbeat quieted and slowed.

This was how he was granted his rank; his complete and utter disappearance in the darkness. So well hidden in plain sight that not even Snowfeather or Blackmane could find him for over five minutes.

The Mausoleum remained silent.

Elsa twirled around at the sound of the rock behind her, back towards the stairs. She went in that driection calling out for Mark. Sher halted however as only her voice echoed within the stone hall. She stepped into the room with the floor glowing pillars, clearly confused as to why it felt... oddly homelike there. She'd never been in this Mausoleum before, and didnt know her way around long enough to be called an expert in the place and its design. the sound of the rock hitting nothing came back to her,

Complete silence execept for her breathing. She had no idea Mark was within listening distence and possibly within eyesight of her at that moment, but as she moved around the four Pillars she completely walked right past him. Twice "Mark ?" She blinked then and shifted her vision slightly, seeing things in a new light. She saw two sets of footsteps, but they ended at a large locked stone door. She turned to see where the footsteps came hence and only saw her own set of footsteps she decided to try finding that room again.

What was bothering Mark so much for her to find his footsteps there ? "Mark come on its me Elsa, where are you ? Where am... I actually these pillars are screwing with my Vision" She blinked a bit and swore briefly under her breath as her eyes hurt around those four pillars that glowed with their own energetic light.

It was then that he moved, with her unable to see where he was, he slowly came up behind her, his boots making no noise on the ground as he began to straighten his back and stand at his full height. His back arm was raised to slice across Elsa's back, having not heard her words nor could he see who she was, due to the darkness and the pillars.

It would be then that his lead foot slid across the ground to provide him with a deeper more grounded stance so that he could strike better, and in the silence, it made the loudest sound.

It was that noise of something moveing on the ground that made her eyes widen, someone was there. Without thinknig it she dropped to jher kneese and rolled forwards, leaving in her wake a ice outline of herself that shattered as Mark struck it. Rolling to her fet she put her back to a pillar, she could barely see, somehow it felt familar, like she had done it before. Which at points she had apparently as Xeir Zith and Kalda had sparred with each other in such a manner.

With only scant heartbeats to figure out a plan she was on the defensive all out. She rolled to another pillar leaving another ice outline of herself in her wake. then brought up her hands, a barrier of ice formed just off her hands and caught something thrown at her in its deadly cold grip. A single knife ? "Mark! Its me!" At the last second she rolled to her side to avoid another thrown knife and brought up both hands as she was then face to face with Mark; why was he attacking her ? Well she did kinda tresspass on the mausoleum grounds... kinda.

Mark was silent as he shattered the two icy outlines of Elsa and then tossed his knives, the sound of their feet shuffling and the ice shattering and appearing drowning out her voice as Mark used said sound to figure out where she was and continue his attack. He didn't dare draw his sword or his gun in his place though, lest he damage anything precious, so he'd be restricted to his pinpoint accurate throwing knives, and his claws.

Moving forward, weaving around the pillars as if he'd done it a thousand times, Mark's claws sparked against the pillar, his arms coming down for a two handed downward slash with his claws as he continued his pursuit of Elsa.

She was cornered, no where to go, Elsa dropped to one knee and brought up her hands, Ice and snow swirled around her fingers like gloves of almost clear icy energy as Mark came down on her with a solid crash, Elsa quickly cast ice under her knee along with some snow as well coushin the floor under her as Mark pressed down on her with all his weight, whereas he weighed pretty much a ton compared to her, she was thin yes, but healthy thin.

But with him pressing down on her she figured why not go on the offensive ? With her ice shielding her hands from injury she flicked her wrist and grabbed Mark by the arm, only it backfired and she ended up flat on her back with Mark on top of her as she brought up a ice coated fist to block his strike as sparks flew and turned into icicles around them. But with her both cornered and flat on her back she held up both hands, ice slowly fading, "Mark!" Elsa all but shrieked now that she could see it was him

Mark's claws were less than an inch away from Elsa's chest when he finally heard her, his hand stopping mere centimeters away, as if he were going to pull out her heart. There was an unsettling silence as he remained absolutely still and Darkness fell upon the room again, leaving both of them unable to see five inches in front of their faces.

Mark's eyes began to glow a dim bronze-ish silver as he blinked. "Elsa? I...why...what are you doing here?" He asked, his tone not angry nor harsh, but confused and concerned. "Did...something happen in the kingdom?" his armor slowly faded away with a dim digitized glow as his hand, now relaxed, trailed gently down her arm to her hand where he helped her up off the ground before he cleared his throat.

" _ **Mitne nomeno goawy**_ " he said, his voice mixing with Kalda's to form a sort of bi-layered texture to the sound as he spoke. "Light this place." There was a pause before the torches along the walls began to light one by one, starting at the entrance of the Mausoleum, all the way to the upper and lower portions of it deep within the rock, including the room they were in now, flooding the cavernous corridors and chambers with light.

Elsa sighed and let Mark help her up, she briefly brushed off her dress, but then with the level of red it had become over the last few months it wasnt easy to tell of any dirt was on it. She smield though "The only thing that happened in the Kingdom is that it lacks its bodyguard. Georgina and I found another one of Mothers journals, the location of it at least but I wanted to go after it with you and her. I said to go find you, havent seen her since yet some fo the Assassins mentioned seeing you arrive outside here. So I figured to come here." She shivered a bit but as the room was lit up so beautifully she had to simply stare at the walls

Each panel told a brief story of each of the generations fo the Wolfe Clan. Only this exact room was filled with four pillars dedicated to Light Herself. So each panel on the stone walls showed a scene wherein Light interacted with certain members of the Clan. "What is this place ? It feels almost like home"

Finally she remembered why she came, with a brief shake of her head she spoke "Mark, what is it ? month ago you were like this and Anna perked you up and when I try to find out whats bugging you, you nearly take my heart out, what's going on ? What has you on edge like this ?"

"Back in Arendelle, somone mentioned one of my ancestors, Yaeko...I came to find her tomb and meditate on it...but I can't get in." he said softly, making sure his voice didn't echo too loudly within the corridors of the Mausoleum. He began to walk through the tunnels, winding and twisting their way towards the deepest parts of the mountain it was built into before coming across a large stone door, a complicated lock in the center with two narrow holes. "Like the vault under the Wolfe Manor fountain, I can't open it with the gauntlet..." he said as they came across the door to Yaeko's tomb.

The door itself was decorated simply, with the Wolfe family crest of an anvil and crossed hammer and tongs carved into the rock. Above the doorway, likewise carved into the rock, were the words "Once A Wolfe, Always a Wolfe." He sighed and looked back to Elsa. "Instead, I came upon the sort of...shrine or monument you found; where the statue looks like me. I believe...I'm his reincarnation." He added.

"And it is through him that I've been learning more, and learning faster than I would on my own; he helps me see the truth, helps me fight, think...and I believe he was connected to you in some way." he said, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder before trailing up her neck to her cheek, caressing it gently before smiling and beginning the journey back towards the entrance.

She listened as they walked through the many turns and tunnels. it was easy to get lost in there. Unless you knew the place like the back of your hand. The stone door that barred the way into Yaeko's tomb stood sealed and silent, the twin vertical slots were apparently for a strange kind of key. Elsa reached up a hand and traced a finger on the words. It was an odd saying, she nodded howerver at mention of mentioning Yaeko "Yes, I asked who she was remember ?" She replied. "I found a little bit more, but not a lot. She was a ship designer, ship builder, matriarch, a mother to hundreds during her lifetime."

As they entered the vault containing the four pillars they had briefly fought around Elsa asked simply. "Whatever happened during her time isnt in any of my mothers history books, nor is it anywhere in our Queens Journals" Apparentl.y Elsa had no clue who was queen when Yaeko came to be matriarch at thrity nine years old, bu it wasnt until the major events concerning the formation of the Phond District, and the formal naming of the Port District apart from the Docks, the queen at that time was Arenel the Wise. "If you're trying to find out more about her, we need to find out what opens that door ?"

Elsa then looked at him as they came to a halt ewithin the Vault of Weapons, of course there were none, just four pillars holding up the three floor rooftop, at some point in history that room ewas jammed to overfilled with weapons of all types. Technology so ancient and old that even though it still worked it was arcane and scary to modern technology. But the massive room was empty.

"When you found that statue, of yourself, it... doesnt look like you well enough, well, its you, I can see the face clearly when I saw it." Elsa mused thoughtfully, "When you found that statue, were you able to meditate on who Yaeko was ?"

Mark let out a small grunt when she reminded him that it was she who asked who Yaeko was. He continued to walk calmly and listened to her, nodding to what she asked about the door. He didn't know what was needed, and was hoping to find out through his meditations. They stopped at the entrance to the monument to Kalda, and he approached the statue again, and put his hand on the shoulder of his previous incarnation.

"I was able to see that she lived for over twelve-hundred years, and most notably served under Queen Arenel the Wise." he said calmly. "She mothered an entire generation of the Wolfe Clan over her life time, and was one of the reasons for Arendelle's strength expanding over the years." he added. He looked back to her and smiled. "My ancestor here... Kalda, worked with her, knew her...That's how I know...but I need to get inside her tomb to know more."

He smiled softly and walked back towards the entrance of the mauseleum, it was time to head home anyway, get something to drink.

By the time Mark started to head out of the mausoleum, Elsa had stopped and stared at a painting on one wall, the wedding of Xeir and Kalda, there were three other women that Elsa didnt recognise whatsoever, and the fourth she thought she knew but couldnt place the face. One of the other three women however had white hair, and a crown with what looked like a snowflake embalzoned or growing from it on her head, the other tywo women had dark hair, one wore a regal golden dress, the toher a dark purple or pink colored dress of an odd sort.

She pointed at the painting, indicating the woman she cou,dnt place the face of but the overall look of the woman screamed something familar to her "This woman, why does she seem familar ?" Diamond had her back to the painter apparently intentionally so unless it was Lights dfoing after the painting was done as her face wasnt easily recognisible. She saw the glitter of apparent silver of some form on the fingers of the two being married and looked from the painting to the statue. yep that was Kalda in the painting, however it was confusing. Elsa turend to Mark "Why are you in this painting ? Who is she ?" She pointed at Xeir.

Apparently she had no idea just how Kalda, and in this case Mark, was connected to her, how closely connected they were

Mark looked to the painting. "That is Kalda...like I said, I think I'm his reincarnation." he said, walking up to it and peering at it. "I left Arendelle as a boy, and never got to see the Mausoleum very much if at all. No one outside of Arendelle's royal family or the clan knows about the mausoleum, really..." he explained. "As for who he's with..." Mark knew who she was.

Before he could speak, there was the sound of rocks rubbing against eachother as he felt a gaping hole open within his mind. "That is Xeir Zith." a voice said. Mark's ears twitched, and he stayed calm.

Kalda had taken control of the statue of himself, and moved from his pedastal, towering over both Mark and Elsa in this state. "The only person to make me settle down...and my wife." he said, moving to the painting and staring at it. He placed a hand on Mark's shoulder as he turned, giving the man a knowing smile. "Recently, I've been speaking with Mark from within, waiting for my love to return." He said, his gaze gentle, yet piercing as he looked at Elsa, but only for a brief moment before turning back to the painting.

"I can only maintain control over this statue for a few moments, is there anything else you would like to know about the Wedding?" he asked, nodding to the painting.

For a long heartbeat or six Elsa simply stared at the statue, it was moving ? Yes she was awake. Finally her brain and mouth worked and she pointed to the three women she couldnt recognise, leaving out the fourth, Diamond. The three women she pointed out were Light herself, Kanwar her first dragon ever created, and Asaca, Kalda's second in command "Who are these three ?" She wanted to hammer him with questions, namely, why so big, why Mark, things like that.

But then she heard that Mark mentioned leaving Arendelle as a boy. She nodded turning to him. "I remember a fire one night as a child. I could see it from my room. Mother tried to shield me from it so I wouldnt see it. But it wasnt working." Elsa did have some friends growing up before her accident with Anna as children, two of those friends were Mark and his sister. "I remember I wanted to see if you knew anything about it, but we couldnt find you." We, she meant her mtoher and her. though she did receive a letter from Marks mother as a child, simply saying they were safe. She turned back to Kalda, fully not expecting his answer.

"The most regal of the the three was Mother...the Light personified. She gave birth to all of...us." he said, the fact that he was a Dragon would come later, but not now. "The lady to her right was Kanwar, her midwife and my combat instructor. The third is Asaca, my Second in command while I was Light's Champion." he said. "Much like how Mark or any of the other high ranking Assassin's here could be considered yours." he added, meaning of course the trust shared between them, and the fact that Elsa went to them when she needed something important done quickly and effeciently.

He paused for a moment as Mark recalled the fire and took a slow breath, then Kalda turned again and looked down upon Elsa. "I've little time left. Anything else?" He asked, beginning to move back towards the Pedastal and reassume his post for when he returned to Mark's body.

It was a question on both their minds. so Elsa asked it. "What did Yaeko do... for you ?" This was actually easier than one thought. Yaeko herself had made Kalda's twin swords with no outside help. At the time only she knew the secrets to unlock the full potential of the strange glasslike metal.

Kalda was slowly setting into the position the statue was carved into before he answered. "She made my swords for me. Mark carries one of them; its sister is hidden away..." slowly the statue began to harden and return as Kalda left and returned to Mark. "...Diamond's Tomb..." and with that, the eyes of the statue ceased their Silver Glow, and Mark shivered before turning back to Elsa, looking to her.

Elsa pointed at the statue, the pose it was in even before it started moving, it didnt look like it could move but somehow it did, and it spoke. For a brief moment her mouth just hung open before she got her brain wokring again. "let me guess, that is Kalda, those he spoke of are important. and something hurts I can tell in your eyes, was it something I said ?" It actually kinda was, mention of the fire the templars set when they raided Marks childhood home

She also noticed something else, Mark looked close to passing out, and only small areas of the Manor back in the kingdom were habitable to sleep in at night. "You dont look good" She said to Mark as she darted to his side to hold him steady on his feet. Back to the kingdom it was, Did Mark even eat lunch ?

Mark managed a smile and leaned against her gently to catch his balance before shaking his head and standing on his own. "I'm fine, just...old memories of the fire." he said, again, managing a smile before continuing to walk towards the exit. "Now then...yes, that was Kalda, and those he spoke of are important; they helped shape the world into what it is today." he said calmly.

"Food in general sounds great right now...i'm thinking a big bowl of soup..." He said with a chuckle, patting his stomach.

Elsa smiled, she knew just where to go for a nice bowl of soup to calm onces nerves, or wake one up, or help with a cold. And no it wasnt Oakens place, last time Elsas went there she got drunk. "Come on, I know just where to go" Elsa said taking Mark by the hand and casting one last look to Kalda's statue before dragging mark out of the mausoluem back to the world outside. Moments later they were on a muledeer carriage headed back for Arendelle

 **Arendelle**

 **Wolfe District**

 **Two hours later**

 **Manor Grounds**

It was shortly after Elsa was left at the castle and Mark returned to the Manor to oversee the reconstruction work when a man in black and red edged clothing entered looking like a soldier from Weselton, Mark looked at him briefly, "What can I do for you ?" He asked

"The queen" The man replied

"What about her ?" Mark gave the man a hard look, but try as he might, he wasnt able to decern what he was.

"Have you seen her ? Wait of course you have seen her you're with her every day arent you ?" The man smirked

"Your point ?"

"When you see her could you let me know ?"

"Yes"

"Yes what ? Should you see her or let me know ?"

"You tell me why you want her and maybe I'll tell you when I see her"

The man in black smirked at Mark. "You dont want to mess with me, Wolfe"

"Actually its your boss I dont want to mess with, you make this personal and I'll mess with you all day long" Mark smirked

"You're gonna have to do better then this" The man said turning on his heel and walking out of the Manor Grounds.

As the man in black left Mark, he brushed against Georgina who gave him a dirty look, Seeing the man leave she turned to Mark as she found him "Who was that ?"

"Just some idiot lt from another country planning to make trouble, I plan to mess with him and not his boss. Something about him worries me." Mark replied, Georgina smirked then spotted someone nearing the manor and stopping nearby.

Car Key waited at the corner of two streets, a huge market was quite active it seemed at all hours of the day, it was like this kingdom never slept, it was unlike anything she was used to in America or even Egypt, not as much technology either. However she was able to get hookups and teach soldiers to use the weapons Scorpion had requested for the guards to use. But now Car Key had further information she wanted to give to Scorpion concerning one of his soldiers he trusted, One fo the women he had introduced her to was actually a runaway Chinese Princess by the name of Yei Jia Jia. Why the girl had run away only Georgina knew, but that was going to be told soon.

Car Key spotted Mark, and amazingly with him was the missing Princess. A soft smile graced the CIA agents face before it faded as quickly as it appeared. The princess was with him and that made things easier. She waited until they got closer until she spoke "When the Shepered is tired, he counts wolves..." She said simply as Mark smiled, "I see that you are doing the same." her eyes were locked however, on Georgina, who felt nervous under her gaze as she crossed her arms

Georgina's eyes locked on Car Key as the two words were said. "Hello Princess" Her eyes widened How the fuck did she know ?

Mark immediately grabbed Car Key by the arm and turned sharply, pulling her into the alley way, knowing that Georgina would follow. "What are you going on about, Key?" He whispered sharply. He looked to Georgina and raised an eyebrow. "And why are you in this District?" he added, returning his gaze to Car Key.

Georgina's hand went to her temple, great someone found out the truth. She never expected it this soon, sure she expected it. But before she could speak Car Key beat her to it. "Your friend there, Tell me you dont research like you used to" Car key said removing from her coat pocket a paper filled file she had printed off. "After we were introduced, habit took over and while the ship was being unloaded I did some looking. everything's in there." The folder was jammed with papers, even some pictures of Georgina's family, with her highlighted in white and named Princess Yei Jia Jia, whatever that meant. "The only question I have is, why did you run ?" Car Key gave a pointed look towards Georgina who stood at the mouth of the alley keeping watch, it was habit to do just that.

"You are not going to deport me, are you, Mentor ?" To Georgina, Mark was her mentor, he outranked her by a lot for one thing so naturally so, he was her mentor, so to speak.

"I think the least of your concerns, Princess, is getting deported from this place. its old habits that die hard for me and finding out secrets is what I do for a living" Car Key said, she had no smugness in her voice or tone, yet her eyes told everything, Car key was a information seeker on all levels and could unlock doors only normal men and women dream about.

Mark was silent, slowly releasing his grip on Car Key's arm before glancing over the file jammed with papers. At Georgina's question, however, he chuckled. "If I was going to deport you, Georgina, I would have done it long ago." Mark's knack for finding information was as good, if not better than Car Key's own talent for it. There was nothing of Gerogina in any of Arendelle's records; he'd checked, double checked, and even quadrouple checked.

Alas there was nothing.

"Car Key is right; her talents for finding information are what we should be concenred about, since she does so well in doing so." he said. Compared to the two women, he was massive in his full stature and armor, and he was reminded of how large he was. Yet compared to a man like Kristoff, he was reminded how average he was as well. Mark's eyes flashed bronze as he looked over the two for a moment.

"What made you curious, I wonder?" he asked Car Key.

"Like I said, old habits die hard; in this case I was reminded of a news report on CNN in America of the current Royal Family of Jade China seeking one of their family who had run away or was kidnapped with her son, the next in line for the throne apparently" Car Key explained. "that was when you first introduced us, it triggered my memory so I looked into things further. Only things I could find was your name, and there is a reward offered merely for information of your current state, one of the conditions of the reward is that contact is established somehow. Apparently your family is worried"

Georgina simply sighed and crossed her arms, "It was bound to be told sooner or later, truth be told I was the second Princess of five children, third child born. My parents looked down on me because I was a rebel, I married a man of low station because I loved him and I bore him a son, my son Yang, the Templars were going to try and destroy him in Jade China so I ran away, taking him with me shortly after my husband was killed by the Templars who made it look like my own family did it." Georginas explained, "We came here; three years later the Templars took our home, and my sons life, they didnt recognise either of us. It was that same day when Elsa liberated my home and saved me from that patrol as well."

Well that explained a lot. the worst that could happen was deportation, but then as Mark said he'd have done it long ago had he known sooner, but now that he'd gotten to work with and know Georgina over the last year or so he'd been there in the kingdom he'd begun to treat her like part of the family. After all, Georgina's skill with a whip was insanely masterful compared to anyoine else he'd seen, and Georgina used two of the things.

Mark was quiet for a minute further before speaking again, to Car Key directly. "You tell no one that she's here. While I understand China needs it's Princess, Arendelle needs to be free first." he said. He then turned to Gerogina.

"When Arendelle is free, you may return home and liberate it from any Templar Influence as well; use what we've taught you and have yet to teach you. You'll be fine, understand?"

"Mm" Georgina replied, Car Key simply nodded. When she took up her job with the CIA secrets became her life, keeping them and protecting her country and those of her friends and where they called home was what she had signed up for. So keeping Georgina's secret was something she'd take directly to the grave if she was asked to do it.

The good news was, Mark didnt say anything of not allowed to come back; but then times changed so Georgina didnt get her hopes up. Her plan was originally to go somewhere safe from home and Templar influence, then train her son herself, then go home and liberate her family and her empire. But then with the loss of both her husband and her son, things changed, a lot.

Car key however was confused, "Scorpion; what is this about Templars ? king Philip disbanded that organisation during the French Revolution. Dont tell me they're still around." Then she remembered something and pulled out another folder "This was requested for me to get by the Queen; I wanted to get it to her." It was a cargo manifest of two other ships that docked with hers, but their cargo all had only the Abstergo symbol on it along with three long claw marks that seemed to be made of smoke. "I looked into whats on one of those ships. Drugs. And not simple stuff you by at CVA or Walgreens, this is medication that drug absuers would kill for, and dealers sell for the highest bidder. Speed, Heroin, Crystal meth, Grass, Black Tar Mesa, you name it its on these two ships."

Georgina took the second file and opened it going through it, "Black tar is a fertiliser used to grow rice and soybeans, sometimes medical grass for pets and animals. Why would they send it here ?"

Mark returned his gaze to Car Key and smirked with an amused grunt. "That's the official history, yes. But religious Zealots are hard to keep down. They now exist as Abstergo. Think of them as the worst of both Communist and Fascist regimes put together; and then throw the idea of global domination in the mix for shits and giggles. That's what they want, oh and mind control." he said. That's how he described it, anyway. Extremists no matter how one looked at it, the Templar Order was very much alive and very much out to take over the planet.

"As for the drugs...They're probably hyping their soldiers up on them. All of this stuff, except for maye Grass and Heroin are going to make them a hell of a lot tougher to sneak around, and kill. Grass and Heroin are probably there to dull pain of the wounded...I will have to look into it." He pondered before letting out another breath through his nose.

"Car Key, get that report to Elsa...and try not to do too much snooping when it comes to people I'm working with or protecting."

Car Key nodded, "Right and then you're going to tell me that Abstergo was the people behind the Denver Airport bombing six years ago or was that really you ?" Denver Airport had been shut down for six months to a year due to one of its terminals getting pretty much vaporised from a strange almost digital bomb, thankfully everyone was safe and alive, just, moved elsehwere from the displacement, the airport itself ended up completely closing two years before Mark arrived in Arendelle due to the recent advances in transportation across the planet to the south along the Equator, the further north or south one went the less sparce or big the cities were.

Georgina snickered "the Templars wanted to send a Piece of Eden into space to control the planet, the bomb, well. I heard about it but knew something else was going on thanks to learning secrets back home." She said, she explained what she knew "The templars had a sphere about the size of a common Emperors Apple or small cocanut, they wanted to put it into a satalite and then use the satalite to control the population below. Apparently someone or several someones had destroyed it in the bomb attack at that airport."

"The Bomb was me. Why it went off, was not." Mark replied nonchalantly. While he wasn't physically there, he did have a hand in planning the operation for the Assassins as their American Contact within the CIA. He told them when and where to plant the bomb, how much time they needed, and all of the other fine details. Of course all of this was extremely classified, hense his curt, nonchalant answer.

"Now then. Get that report to Elsa." he repeated, nodded for Car Key to skedaddle.

Car Key nodded and took the report back from Georgina; "Be careful Scorpion; leave out too much and I'll find out the rest" She had a smirk on her face as she spoke, she then took her leave, leaving Mark with Georgina, who looked scared and also quite worried. What was Mark going to do now ? He knew only so much of who she really was but he still called her by her common name of Georgina.

But what remained to be said aside for Templars wanting her son and trying to kill her family, that was but one reason why she fled China, and Mark could tell with his Vision that there was a lot left unsaid.

"There's more to why you left China...isn't there?" Mark asked, watching Car Key leave the alley way before finally turning to Georgina and looking her in the eye, or where her eyes would be, considering they both had their hoods up. "If you wish, you may tell me; your secrets will be safe with me."

"There is, and I trust you. My mother and brothers sent me out, it was they who faked my running away, it was because of my Mother I fled, she insisted I take my son and go somewhere West, I chose here because I had been here once as a child, only my mother knows I am here. But I dropped out of contact when my son died that day. That is why the reward, my mother wants me to contact her. But after the loss of Yang, I... I cant. I cant face my Mother and tell her she and I do not have an heir"

Mark was silent. Not having an Heir. He himself didn't have one for the Wolfe Clan should anything happen to him, and as far as he knew, he was the only Wolfe left alive still. For all he knew, his mother and sister were dead in London. In a way, he could relate, but in a way, he couldn't. Sighing, he gently reached out and placed a hand on Geogina's shoudler. A sort of understanding, fatherly hand one would use when consoling their daughter.

"I'm sorry." was all he could say. He couldn't help her; her son was dead, not even the magic of Light could bring him back physically, mentally, and in spirit all at once. Not Even Darkness could do that. Not fully. Sighing he opened his arms, and offered his student a hug, gentle and quick, he'd let go when he felt her relax, and pat her back twice.

"Come. There's good food around the corner."

Accepting the hug for a brief moment Georgina took a deep breath to try and focussaying softly "If it makes you feel better, Mentor, you may call me by my true name, Yei Jia Jia, though Mother shortened it to Yeiji most days." She said, keeping things sortas formal made sense, she'd have to inform 'Diana' Wait where was Diana ? At mention of food however she smiled and nodded, accepting the offer she stretched a bit and stepped from the alley just as a green flare went off signaling the liberation battles to begin in the district, "What district is that ?" Georgina asked.

Who was liberating a district without them ? A bunch more went off in the same district, apparently it was liberated. Well, looked like she knew where to find Diana.

It had taken the three in the district scant moments to isolate and then eliminate the Templar Captain; It took a bit of doing then they had irinitally thought, however they managed to somehow do the job; somehow in the sene of isolate the guy, he asked to be alone with them to give them their assignments, And since he could tell the three worked together and could not be seperated it was clear that the threesome could receive their assignments easily as a group instead of individually, so when the Templar had the other guy leave the office Asaca sealed the door as Diamond slit the mans throat the same time Anna grabbed the tower key and the three left the office, slicing down any Templar within reach before reaching the top and lighting the signal fire.

It wasnt long befrore the District was liberated however. but instead of Diamond walking with Anna back to the Wolfe District to be met up with Georgina and Mark did it become clear who was with Anna, A young woman named Diana. However under her scarf was a scale the shape iof a clearcut very beautiful multicacted diamond. There ws no way it'd be gone from her skin, so she had to keep it hidden. Another secret to keep

As they neared Georgina and Mark Diana handed the key to Anna, the Assassin's kept the primary keys in the Royals control, and then from there copies were made by Elsa out of ice, the two women had been with Asaca who departed from them on the grounds of not wanting to get seen by anyone who might recognise her as who she really was like Diamond had done, that and to look out for more Shadows to fight off. that and to let Kanwar know the district was liberated as planned

Which then left Anna with Diamond, though Asaca made it clear that Diamond would arouse unwanted questions, and therefore had to hide as much as possible until the time was right, thankfully when Marion returned, in the guise of Diana, she had witnessed everything as if she had seen her memories once more only this time in lucid memories. So Marion and Princess Anna headed to find Mark to give him the key who in turn would give it to Elsa who then would make a ice master copy then hide the original somewhere

Turning the corner to the street where Mark and Georgina were planning to eat, Mark's sharp eyes caught sight of Anna, her red hair being easy to see among the browns and greys of the people around her, and he tilted his head, cutting across the street to greet her, he stopped a few feet away and gave a simple bow of the head to her. "Highness, so good to see you! I assume it was you and..." he glanced to Diana, "Diana who liberated this district?" he asked, looking to the still burning signal fire.

"Yup, that we did, two districts actually, well, yeah two. this one and the Yaen District" Came the reply from Anna, "here" She tossed mark the key to the tower they'd lit."Elsa's gonna want this" Diana still had her face covered, even more so with her hood up, hell the woman pretty much was weeraring a full on fencers mask over that scarf at this point. then again to hide that... scale at her neck for the most part was easier said than done

Anna thought seemed in good spirits, almost laughing asctually at something so danmned silly on how the Templars are lax in their leadership protection, which of course lead to Anna having to explain exactly how they liberated the district, of course she'd answer such a qustion when asked. "Now I'll say more once I eat something, All this fighting made me hungry" That and and her hand hurt, the brass knuckles Mark could see clearly were Piece of Eden designed

Mark's eye twitched at the sight of the Eden Knuckles, and within him Kalda Stirred. "I know a good place down the road for food, if you want to join us." He said, nodding his head to the side towards Georgina. He smiled and caught the key easilly, putting it in one of his internal breast pockets in his coat so that he wouldn't loose it. He looked to Anna with a rather proud look on his face, she was becoming a great assassin, and would one day be a fine Queen herself, he supposed, if anything ever happened; which of course he hoped nothing did.

Diana nodded in response to her brother/mentor as he approached, and smiled beneath her scarf. "I'm sorry, Mentor...I'm afraid I must go; I have urgent matters to attend to." she said. She couldn't let him find out who she was...and eating would require taking away the scarf enough for him to see more of her face than she wanted him to.

Georgina nodded in response to Mark's offer of food, it made good sense actually, hell it made her feel safe, she didnt have to be paranoid with him knowing the truth, hell soon she'd have to tell Elsa, but until then the princess was safe, her secret was safe. And if Mark trusted Car Key, then she could too. She looked confused towards Diana though at the turning down of food, normally Diana sprang for it right off, but then she had a seemingly knowing look in her eyes, one that Mark didnt catch. She understood the need for secret keeping.

But what she did inot/i know was just how big Diana's secret had become. She tossed her something. A key, "My key to Roughwater, I saw yours was inside, dont worry, I'll be fine here." She said But it begged the question, what urgent matters to attend to ? then again she must have been given a contract she had to see through, the three now minus Diana, headed for the place Mark suggested, yet Anna saw something of worry on Marks face. She had no idea of the drugs the Templars were now getting for their soldeirs.

Diana smiled and caught the key, nodding her head in thanks, leaving them.

 **Arendelle**

 **Unknown District**

 **An hour later**

 **Full dark**

"On mothers soul damnit how many do we have to lose before we begin to win ?" From where she sat in her bed for her two weeks bedrest by order of her father Nasty was livid but not moving; it wasnt really possible for her to try to move anyway, what with her fathers shadows holding her in the bed to begin with, yet she could still give orders and take news in. She wasnt happy the least bit. "A hundred and twenty six men, and a full district, gone from our control!" This was simply not good

"It seems Madam, that the drugs we se-" The man started to speak before Nasty raised a hand and cut him off midword

"Sources report a iwoman/i with two swords, fought the Drugger. And won. Now, I dont know about you, but Speed is to enhance reflexes, not slow them down, compared to the woman the Drugger was slow as fuck! Find out why!" Apparently Nasty didnt know that Marion was back in the Kingdom where she belonged. And was going to soon be hunting the Twins. Then again Nasty was also wondering something as a certain woman from her past also fought with two swords so skillfully. Looking to the new arrivals she smirked; "Please tell me you have good news, Basil, Romundo ?"

The smirk soon turned into a frown.

Sutri's gentle sigh filled the room in slight protest to her sister's agitation, and she turned her head delicately to look at the two massive Kobolds. "And do make the good news snappy; you do know that pleasure makes wounds heal faster, yes?" her own beautiful face turned into a frown soon after however as the two gave their news; that they had encountered Diamond, engaged her, and lost, though not without the help of the current Champion of "She who must not be named", meaning the Light, and the princess of Arendelle, Anna.

An agitated sigh of her own escaped Sutri's lips. "If it were me I'd have you both castrated and hang what I cut off above my bed as a decoration...but you are not my responsibility..." she rolled her eyes and turned her head away. She knew there wasn't really any good in trying to calm Nasty down, she was perpetually mad in this state of being unable to move. Another sigh.

For a long moment Nasty was oddly quiet, being restrained to bed meant normal anger, anger that was natural in coming, Nasty hated being locked to bed rest for any amount of time. And this bad news just made things worse. far worse. She snickered though at the thought. "iHer/i Champion you say..." She mused thoughtfully, it was impossible, Kaldakava was dead, their mother had made sure of it! "Impossible, he's dead!" She sat up in her bed and looked at both Kobolds where they stood inthe room, nodding as her sister spoke she said when pointing "What she said" at menton of castrated and hanging over their beds

"But Diamond, this is odd news." Any news of Diamond was few and far between. the last any heard of her was being in Sacremento about three dozen or so years before when mother disappeared. "The last any of us knew, Diamond was dead. Though that could be faked." At the look between the two Kobolds Nasty crossed her arms, as if asking 'well, come on spill it' If it was Diamond she then asked "Did you see her scales ?"

Basil nodded. "Punched her scale. Went boom." he held up his seared hand, healing slowly. At mention of Kalda, he shook his head. "No, no. Other Champion." he reiterated, making sure that it was Asaca he was talking about, not Kalda. Hard to do in broken English.

Romundo was silent, but gulped at the threat of castration.

"Nasty, dear sister...please...lay down; you'll anger Papa..." Sutri cooed from her bed as a faint rumble was felt in the foundations of the room.

Against her better judgement, Nasty actually did what her sister suggested, of course after she fluffed her pillows so she could be able to see the two Kobolds at the feet of their beds. "Other champion ? How many Champions does she got ?" She murred however at the slight rumble from the floor, yeah yeah she was laying back down, at least she never left the bed

She raised an eyebrow at the seared hand, at least it was healing, Ok so it WAS Diamond, only one dragon used her scales as that kind of protective barrier. Wait that didnt work right, She held up a thoughtful finger and pointed at Basil "You said 'punched her iscale/i' How is that possible ? If it were Diamond she'd be in her dragon form at best!" Nasty had never seen Diamond's human form, only briefly saw her fight from afar in her natural dragon form.

Basil shrugged. "Human form; on her chest...very pretty must admit." Romundo slugged his shoulder for that, which brought forth an annoyed, pained huff and snort between the two, and they looked as though there were about to throw down right then and there before Sutri spoke again.

"If she is in human form then she must have died like the reports said...and she's been reborn...I should love to meet her...but not now...I'm rather tired. Both of you, unless you've any more information, leave us. It's time for my..." she let out a low rumbling growl from the bowels of her throat. "...fifteenth nap today."

Nasty pointed a thoughtful finger and nodded at her sisters thought "If it is Diamond reborn and the reports are true that she died... That would suck because she'd be true dragon like we are, I mean if she managed to best both of these two, which are Dad's best after all... yeah this is gonna suck" Nasty laid back on her bed on the pillows, before looking back t othe two Kobolds "Now like NSutri said, unless you bring food for dinner, we're gonna nap" It was about that point when if food was not forthcoming Nasty was actually gonna pass out any second as she wasted what strength she had gained in speaking with the manservant

 **13 Feburary**

 **Blackrock Haven**

 **Wolfe Mausoleum**

 **Just after midnight**

Diana moved through the ancient halls of the Mausoleum careful to not make a sound lest the travelers were spooked, it was bad enough Mark went in there followed by Elsa an hour or so after he had gone in, Coming upon the door that lead to Yaeko's tomb, the massive clearly stone doors, stood sealed tightly. Marion looked around to make sure she was alone then lifted up her hands to the paraelle vertical slits, the two slits looked like a keyhole of a sort, but there wasnt really any such key ni the history of the world that could open this door.

Then she remembered, briefly seeing an outline in white of apparently herself in the ancient past locking the door with a pair of swords being pulled from the slots in the door. She looked to her own weapon hilts. Carefully she lifted both blades up and briefly tested the slots to see if the swords could fit, they did. Marion tyook a deep breath and let it out, she focused inwardly, letting Diamond surge to the fore as the scale glittered like glass struck by a ray of sunlight the twin swords span as they pointed at the slots.

Marion, moving through Diamonds instruction pushed out her hands, her fingers spread wide on both hands as the two swords halted their spin and slid smoothly into the slots without a sound. With a flick of her wrsit the swords both turned horizontal, and the seal broke with a soft crack of machinery working as she quickly pulled her swords from the door as it started to slide towards the floor.

Marion stepped into Yaeko's tomb as it lit up around her. the heavty door slid up behind her, sealing her in.

She had no idea what she had just gotten herself into as the tomb lit itself around her. Panels covered the walls, each one a moment in Yaeko's long life. The battles she had been in, the students she taught, her extended family, the reason why the Wolfe Manor was so large to begin with.

It wouldn't take long for Mark to return, a gut feeling telling him that someone was in the Mausoleum who was not permitted to be there. He stood at the entrance of the system of caverns for a moment before bringing forth his armor and weapons, and moving silently into the caves. He moved quickly using his Eagle Vision to follow the footsteps he did not recognize deeper into the cavernous corridors. He stopped at the entrance to Yaeko's tomb, and his hands quickly closed into fists, the claws of the gauntlets clicking against the metal palms while closing. He narrowed his eyes; the door had been opened...but how?

Channeling Kalda for a moment, he let out a low growl, and then entered the tomb, right hand drawing his sword while his left hand drew some Throwing knives.

The tomb of Yaeko Wolfe was prestine, untouched for a million years exactly, white stone walls held tapstries of woven gold silk depeticing a day or year of her life. The tomb lit from underfoot and overhead by unseen light as something was heard humming a low noise not far away, machinery asncient beyond counting slowly coming to life.

There were four statues of Yaeko, alined in a row, each one had been made at a point of her life, be it an event in Arendelle, at battle, or otherwise. But two of the four status held a sword in one hand, both weapons hade something of a honor motion over what had to be an altar that laid upon it, untouched by time, was Yaeko Wolfe herself. For over twelve hundfred years of age, she looked not a day over twenty! Her bnody showed no signs of decompition or even coming apart or just being too frail. Heck it looked like Yaeko just needed someone to wake her up.

But if only that were the case as someone dressed in qwhite was kneeling before the altar that bore Yaeko. Someone who was not there scales covered the womans face leaving only her eyes seen.

Mark paused upon seeing Yaeko herself; despite being so old, she was beautiful, even when dead. His lip twitched and he silently put away the throwing knives. They would harm something once out of his hands. Mark's otherwise silent footsteps turned heavy and loud as he righted his hood and held his sword tightly, wrist loose for movemtent.

"You should not be here." he called out, the presence of scales making his voice mix with Kalda's forming a sort of dual-layered sound that penetrated one's mind and body entirely. "Leave now and I may forgive your trespassing."

There was no sound, no movement from the strange white garbed woman where she knelt before Yaeko, the eyes didnt seem to blink their crystaline gaze locked on Yaseko's body. A single tear however was seen as Diamond remembered being last in that tomb after Yaeko's burial so long ago. At first she heard nothing until Mark spoke. Again there was no movement as the strange woman in white with crystal like scales covering her nose and mouth remained kneeling

Which of course prompted the question, how did she get inside ? How did she unlock the door ? Her swords as Diana were missing. And there were four statues in that beautiful tomb; the only two swords in that tomb were held by two statues towering above them. Diamond thought could easily reach the two statues if she were standing. After all an eight foot tall woman armed with two stupidly long swords turned heads.

At least her face was covered. Preventing Mark, and Kalda himself, from decerning who she truly was. Both Diamond. Lights magic prevented her true form to be seen still. Just white fog.

Mark stopped a couple of feet away from the woman, lowering his sword to the back of her neck as his armor glowed dimly. "This is your last warning: Leave the tomb now, or I will forcibly move you." he said sternly. He did not care how big this woman was; only that she did not belong here.

" _Remember what I did back in those sewers? With the gravity?_ " Kalda's voice rang out in Mark's mind. Mark responded with a slight tilt of the head as he awaited a response from the woman. " _It might come in handy here._ "

"You have ten seconds to comply. Ten. Nine. Eight." he counted slowly, his tone neutral and not seeking conflict, but also not hesitant to delve into one if it needed to happen.

The white hair of the woman moved in a soft breeze as the air moved to refresh the tomb, yet even then the body of Yaeko never showed age nor Mark started counting down, his sword at the womans neck, scales glittered under her hair where the swrod was closest to her skin. The woman closeed her eyes and shed one more tear as she bowed her head

She never moved to get up as Mark counted down to three before she spoke. Her voice was one with knowledge, and something of experience. "On the contrary, if anyone has permission to enter these grounds, it is I As I have been here before." Crystaline eyes turned from the body on the altar as the woman stood. Diamond's human form stood normally eight feet tall, but when she had faced the kobolds, she was the hieght of Marion normally was. Yet now, back in the ancient tomb, she was her natural hieght.

Dressed in layers of white and lime green Scales covered her face execept her eyes, masking her mouth and nose seemingly behind a viel. She looked down Marks sword towards him, A white eyebrow raised. Well this was interesting. He'd reall;y try to throw her out ? Surely not even Kalda would try such a thing, Diamond was after all, a daughter of Light herself! Surely not even Kalda could try to throw her anywhere, too danged heavy.

But still the question remained, how had she entered ? the tomb was sealed!

Mark's grip tightened as she rose and he kept the sword leveled with her neck, and though his upper face couldn't be seen, he was making eye contact with her. "As head of the Wolfe Clan, I have decreed that none may enter without permission from myself or the Queen. That applies to everyone, including you." his tone remained the same, calm but with an edge. Something was off about her; and it had to due with her height...Mark wished Kalda would give him his height...but it wasn't going to happen.

"Before you leave, either willingly or otherwise, tell me how you entered." He said, his free hand opening a bit as it pointed its palm towards the ground, the spell used to weaken gravity building power undetected within his body.

Behind the scales the woman laughed; the sharp chrip rang clear in the tomb. Like that of a infants laughter. "Who said I was leaving ?" No she wasnt leaving, yet. "Be that as it may, but even the one who sealed this tomb couldnt unseal it when she needed to ?" Permission had been given, by Light

Her eyes seemed to smile as he asked his question; ah yes, the door. "Oh it was easy, Its supposed to be easy. After all, I designed it" She pointed towards Yaeko, "After all, she was my friend; She asked me herself to design the lock" She turned her back to him, slightly confused as she looked between the statues "But I do not recall any statues in here..."

She held out a hand towards one of the statues, Fingers on it moved, it held one of the two swords, beautiful purple blades of untarnished steel through the ages, the sword moved, its tip moving from aiming towards the ceiling to aiming torwards the lower wall as the fingers twisted the blade so it was aiming hilt first before lifting as if by magic towards Diamionds waiting palm, the instant the purple and pink hilt was within her grasp the sword moved to a defenive stance behind her as metal met metal with a horrendus crash of unnatural steel

Mark's blade clashed with her blades, and he grunted. "Those do **NOT** belong to you!" he shouted before dropping down to slam his palm to the ground and weaken the gravity around Diamond tremendously, making her light enough to throw. He then reached forward and grabbed her by the ankle, and pulled her hard, towards the entrance of the tomb, sending her flying that way. He darted after her, bronze eyes blazing.

She'd touched something that belonged to his Ancestors. There was no helping her now as far as Mark cared. Leaping into the air, Mark brought his sword point down, aiming to stab straight through her chest and into her heart, wanting to end this quickly, so that he could replace the swords and leave Yaeko's tomb the way it was supposed to be: Untouched.

Sparks exploded as their swords met, whe nshe went flying she used her weight to her advantage and hit the ground in a roll, when Mark darted after her she jumped lightly, using his own weight against him as she pretty much walked up his sword like it was a plank and flipping off his shoulders to hthe floor on her feet, once again, he was between her and the door. When he ran at her a second time, aiming for her heart she rolled her eyes, most men did the same thing. But rather then dmaage his own blade by hitting her diamond scales she brought up Yaeko's sword, marks blade stabbed at its flat edge and pushed her backwards until she locked her feet and stopped her movement.

Forcding him back she smiled behind her scales. "Truly you never learned the legend now did you ? The Promise Yaeko made to a dear friend" Their swords caught and locked briefly as she looked Mark dead in the eyes. "Besides, these swords arent being used, Yaeko promised them to me anyhow." Piece of Eden designed blades that Marion used werent fit for Diamonds level of use. Against Kobolds Marion's swords would break whereas Yaeko's swords wouldnt. Then if Diamond could get her own swords back...

Mark took the lock as an opportunity to take back one of the swords, his free hand moving to strike the nerve in the wrist that would force Diamond's left hand to open for a split second; just long enough for him to be able to snatch the sword and use his armored arm to moved her other sword out of the way. Mark grunted at the force behind her pushing, his eyes glowing fiercely under the shadow of his hood, a silver tinge adding itself to the edges of his iris's while Kalda's draconian visage flashed before Diamond's eyes, roaring loudly in an effort to startle her and push her back.

It worked, briefly, Instead of purshing her back, Kaldas roar in her face made her blink, then wrinkle her nose "Vah! itrewic vi trekis mint" She grunted which translated meant "gross, get a breath mint!" She filt the prick of energy at her wrist and even though she didnt want to do it she snapped out her hand, briefly letting go of the sword as she used her magic to launch it into the air straight up before smnacking at the offending hand and all but diving over Mark to grab the sword from the air, now standing on the very edge of Yaeko's alter at her feet she easily snapped the second sword, without harming the statue, from its perch.

All in all it was about a minute of fighting, maybe a minute or three it didnt really matter. Diamond now had both swords, Both swords of Yaeko glittered a sharp purple hue and rang in unntatural sounds as she cut through the air and was in a fighting stance, two blades against one. She had what she needed but she didnt want to do it this way. She came to see Yaeko, to pick up what Yaeko had promised her, not to fight the guy that claimed ownership of the place!

She hopped off the alter then, her back to Yaeko's body as she watched Mark carefully, two swords against his one, plus his gravity ability. Wonderful. Kalda had the same power... Wait... ah crud

Mark didn't wait long. Once she was away from Yaeko's alter, Mark darted forward at an angle, hopping up and bouncing off a Yaeko statue to jump above Diamond. His eyes flashed Silver again, Kalda's silver, and he pushed with the Gravity, locking Diamond's feet there, and making her arms weak and slow while he aimied a downwards kick down at the top of her head. He was precise like a surgeon, knowing that even if he missed, nothing would be damaged when he landed except for perhaps his knee.

"You will replace them!" he snarled, spinning into a slash with his sword, aiming to rake it up her back starting at just above her rear-end, the tip of his...Kalda's sword gleaming and making the same noises that Yaeko's did.

She felt herself weigh more than normal. As Mark came down at her she leaned backwards as fast as she could as first his knee slammed dead onto her diamond scale directly, with asuch an influx of power for a brief moment nothing happened before he flipped off her and she rolled, the energy contained in her scale breaking the hold that the gravity had on her just as his sword raked the space she once was.

She stood there then, swords in a relaxed stance. "its funny" She mused aloud, "There was nothing said of a tomb guardian." She brought her swords up then, the purple blades glittered in the light of the tomb as she held both in one hand, strange clear blue energy gathering in her free hand as she formed a energy ball of water. From what she remembered, Kalda hated it when she used water bombs in their sparring matches, she lobed it at him then easily skipped behind a statue of Yaeko holding the Assassin Flag with the Arendelle crest upon it

Now it was time for Mark to do what he had done back in the Sewers, opening his free hand and channeling his energy, he stopped the water bomb in its tracks, his eyes blazing Bronze while Silver filled his Iris's more as well. He pushed the ball back and he turned to face Diamond again. He still had his energy; through his meditations, his connection to magic had grown stronger, and he was able to do so much more. He still strained, however, and tapping into Kalda's power again, he darted forward faster than his own body could move to appear before Diamond.

Mark stood in a different stance, one more reminiscent of how Yaeko stood with her blades. His right blade was held in a reverse grip and his stance was shallow but strong. In place of the second sword, normally facing forward, there was his clawed hand, open with the palm facing Diamond. Mark let out a heavy breath before stepping forward again, a transport array putting him in front of Diamond so that he could swipe once more at her, this time aiming for her belly.

Ok so, the water bomb didnt work, but it WAS Kalda that roared in her face. She rolled out of the way as Mark was suddenly in front of her, his claws cracking at nothing but a glass outline of her form before it shattered and she stood behind him. But he had indeed made his mark then. Those claws ihurt/i In a defenseive stance Diamond backtracked towards the altar. Best case scenario she could transport out of there. But where ? She couldnt let him follow her if she tranported out. No, she'd have to lose him another way.

Wear him down, that normally worked. She always outlasted her enemeis in battle really easily. Her eyes narrowed however at his stance. He was mimicking her friend ? Impossible the only way Mark could have known Yaeko in any manner was through Kalda, and even then Kalda had only met her to forge his swords all those years ago. She thought a brief moment and then flicking back a sword she pointed at his empty hand. "What happened to the second sword I wonder..." She knew exactly what happened to it. She herself had hidden it at Xeir Zith's request all those years ago while Yaeko repaired the other.

Mark didn't answer her question and instead moved into another transport array, this time popping up out of the side of the Yaeko statue and heading towards Diamond again, spinning himself so that he could rake with his claws and slash with his sword at the same time. Whethe or not it worked didn't matter as he flipped his sword back around and would aim a thrust towards Daimond's belly, followed by another slam of his palm against the ground to strengthen her gravity and lighten his so he could move faster than her again.

Mark was adapting very well to this style of combat, with both Kalda's and his own fighting experience guiding him he was holding his own extremely well, even if he couldn't land a solid hit.

As his strikes came she blocked the first two then jumped and flipped backwards as the weight was aimed where she once stood. She had to keep moving, other wise he'd run circles around her. Well, there ws no time like the present. Both swords ready in one of Marion's more favored stances right out of a movie she made her move. She pretty much flew forwards, her energy and magic fueling her movements as the twin swords made strange whistling noises unlike anything the world had heard. Her movements were fast and to the point, literally.

Waterlike energy danced on the twin swords Diamond had seemingly stolen from Yaseko's tomb, surely Yaeko, where she buried instead of entomkbed, would have been generating power in her grave by spinning with the two of them fighting over her swords. Quite literally fighting over the swords. Still, Diamond hadnt broken a sweat, she'd fought worse and emerged tired maybe but nothing liek this. She still hadnt broken a sweat yet this guy, Mark, seemed intent on her not leaving with those two swords.

So with him waiting in a stance as she came at him her voice was heard "You do know your own history, who Yaeko was, Who she willed her swords to ?" It didnt matter as she struck and Mark defended amazingly well, she couldnt land a strike on him. He knew the footwork well enough. But what about endurance ? She flicked her right sword out, a feint. At the very last second she tiwsted it, her magic smacking like water on Marks face.

For a very brief instant Mark didnt see Diamond, but instead someone like her, his sister. Twin daggers, one of which splashed him with water. But that all too brief instant was gone as the other sword followed right down the middle.

Mark rode the stumble caused by the splash of water all the way through, dodging the other sword by mere centimeters before he stopped, and turned the other way, his hood now heavy, falling off of his head and revealing his face while he pointed the end of his sword at Diamond. For a moment, she saw not Mark, but Kalda, whose face then shifted to Mark's, beard and all.

"Blame my family for not telling me!" he all but screamed. "Blame them for not keeping Arendelle safe like they should have. Blame them for growing weak!" he was screaming by that point; years of repressed rage and pain from what happened, his reason for leaving Arendelle, exploding all at once. Lost in the moment, a tear dripped from his eye and he darted forward again, unleashing a flurry of strikes with his hand, feet, knees, elbows, and sword that would put most assault rifles to shame. Fuled by pent up emotion, Mark screamed and yelled, his reason for all the secrecy and bolstering of Arendelle's forces becoming so apparent. Why he wore the title of Wolfe Clan Leader so proudly and did everything he could to restore his family's greatness to its former glory.

The Glory brought on by Yaeko.

When Mark screamed and ran at her she sheathed both swords on the spot, their hilts at her hips as she blocked and defended each strike before grabbing his sword arm to prevent her own head from coming off, though the thing still nailed her in the face with its flat side, very briefly for an instant she saw stars before managing to get him into a leg lock in the middle of the tomb, Yaeko to their left, the door to their right.

With his sword arm in her hand, and his claws just barely stopped by her own scales on her right arm and hand she looked him directly in the eyes, seeing Kalda for a brief second made her blance slightly, but not enough to be disheartened. However she shook her head. inches from his own face "No" She said, "I wont blame anyone in your family." She said simply, "If anyone is to blame" She let his arms go and stepped back. Waiting for him to make the next move. She didnt say who was on her mind, who to blame, no, had she done so it'd only make matters worse. She looked to her hands, there was blood on her left hand after she brough it to her face.

She sighed and lowered her hand, "If anyone is to blame. Blame the enemy for growing so strong. Blame the enemy for using technology to enslave and ensnare. Blame the..." She stopped and took a deep mental breath before she started shouting at him. her eyes glowed white as she finally calmed. "Blame those, who split your family apart. Those who seperated you from the ones you loved the most." She meant the templars, not who his parents put him into the care of.

Mark's lips twitched back as he gritted his teeth and stared up at Diamond fiercely. He was breathing hard, and from being taken to the ground so quickly, his breathing was ragged as well. As she spoke, the silver around his iris's faded, and left them to their usual brown, and the bronze glow faded until Mark was no longer using any kind of magic. His knee throbbed from when he had hit the scale on her chest, and his muscles ached. Regardless, he muscled his way to his feet, shaky and slow, his sword slipping from his fingers due to the weakness. His eye twitched and he glared at her.

He had two choices, let her leave, or strike and risk death. Thankfully, he wasn't a fool.

"Leave the swords...then leave this place." he grumbled, turning to face Yaeko as she lay on her alter. He still needed to meditate here...learn what he could.

She couldnt exactly leave the twin swords there when they were meant for her. No, that wasnt really possible actually, so when Mark told her to leave the aswiords then leave she nodded towards the two statues "What good would stone swords do me ?" Her magic had reformed the swords, Or was it her magic ? Nope, not her magic. She turned towards him, her hands in a brief prayer motion as she spoke "Get some rest, you'll need it... iKaal/i" Yes, she remembered Kalda's rank as Light's Champion alright.

She turned towards Yaeko and bowed as if in prayer for a brief moment before turning and taking her leave. leaving Mark alone with his thoughts and unwanted memories, but also with questions, Why was that woman there ? Who was she ?

 **Arendelle**

 **Marketplace Den**

 **Just after dawn**

 **Before breakfast**

The tea poured into the two cups as a black furred hand set trhe kettle upon its stand. As was custom for the felines Blackmane sat quite comfy at her perch as she sipped her tea. "You know it as well as I" Snowfeather was speaking "When the past is brought uip, Mark gets quiet. He wont talk abotuj it, only move on, sooner or later he'll come to a point where the only way he can move is to face it directly. By not facing it now, he's only going to cause himself more grief when he does finally face the past"

"Then how will he face it ? When ?" Came the question

"I dont know" Snowfeather paced "Mark wont speak to the girls about his past before coming to us in Egypt, and now, he wont even tell Elsa about his time in Egypt, or why he went there." She opened her black battlefan and fanned herself agitatedly. her white hair moving away from her neck

"Den defense training is today, I'm teachng it, get word to Mark that I want to speak to him about a contract, or something. Have him come here. This den is the most suitable. I'll defend just as always ,from in the front door instead of on the roof." Blackmane said, she took another sip of the tea before just up and knocking back the cup.

"It wont work, Mark will only repress those memories." Snowfeather pointed out "nothing I tried works, he refuses to even acknowledge the event took place"

"The Manor is nearly halfdone being rebuilt, It was the base of operations for the Templars, and it was his home, he is rebuilding his own home without his family there. So you tell me Sis, which would you do, face the memories after he's done rebuuilding, and force the memories to stop by destroying what he rebuilt, or face the memories now ?"

Snowfeather took a deep breath then let it out. Finally she nodded "What do you have in mind 'Mane"

"Let me do it. Mark will face the past dead on with my instruction" Blackmane said as she stood up

"Fine, but I want to watch, if something happens against the plan you propose, one of us will have to use the Piece to knock him out"

"It wont come to that"

"I hope not"

"It wont, trust me"

"Now you are starting to scare me"

 **Memory Synced, Seqeunce 7 complete**


	32. Sequence 8 Memory 1

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 8**_

 _ **Memory 1: Frozen Memory**_

 **13 Febuary 2052**

 **Arendelle**

 **Dawn**

 **Castle Distrct**

 **Just before breakfast**

" _There is no emotion, there is peace_ "

 **\- The Jedi Code**

Sometimes dreams were an interesting thing to look forwards to. Other times they werent, nightmares were the worst, depending on the type of nightmare of course meant everything. But seeing yourself freeze the one you love. On complete accident. That was scary enough to wake someone up now wasnt it ? At the blast of snow and ice Elsa sat bolt upright in bed, the last thing she remembered seeing from the dream was her sister, and Kristoff helping her to her feet inside her ice palace. Elsa looked around her room, she was in her bedroom, it was just a dream, just a bad dream.

She got up from her bed and went to the bathroom, then got dressed. Leaving her hair out of her normal braid for the moment she wandered into the hall and pretty much walked into somebody, but because of her half awake state she couldnt tell who it was until the person started speaking, which was a good thing because had Mark seen her like this, it wouldnt have ended good. She'd never hear the last of it.

She wasnt drunk, hadnt touched a drop since; well... since she could remember. As she leaned on what she first thought a suit of armor, until it moved, wait Armor didnt move unless someone was wearing it. A soft "good morning your highness" Was heard under her arm as the young Assassin Recruit spoke in greeting, it was somewhat muffled as it was both under her arm, and cape.

"What ?" Elsa turned to look the other way, almost nailing herself with her bedroom door before the Recruit kept her on her feet, Seeing who it was she nodded "oh! Good morning Lilah" Elsa leaned heavily on the Recruit, well, this was an interesting morning to be sure. Where was Mark ? "Where are the birds ? Again no birds outside my window!" that and by her apparent drunken behaviour ment something else too, lack of sleep. She turned to Lilah "Why where there no birds outside my window ? there's always birds outside my window, Where's Mark ? he's feeding them by now, Sure he said he had something to atten to last night around midnight when we were watching the Northern Lights together."

Wait was that out loud ?

Elsa and Mark were watcing the Northern Lights, because Mark had asked if Elsa would like to see them with him, for his birthday that day. He'd been so busy with things that he'd all but forgotten his own birthday, but then Mark had left shortly before the Northern Lights were to end just after midnight, saying something in his gut told him he had to tend to something at the Mausoleum. He never said what, Elsa had no idea what Mark was going to do or get him self into, nor did she think twice of it when he wasnt in his bedroom she'd given him in the castle

"Care to talk about it ? The dream I mean" Came the question, Elsa nodded, and as the two walked to the dining room for breakfast she explained her dream.

"I woke up in a storm unlike anything I had ever witnessed..."

 _Surrounded by torrental snow and thick fog_

 _In times unknown or remembered_

 _A shriek from above, a shriek only a dragon could make, was heard. Among those shrieks a calm voice spoke "Finally come to pay your respects, or your dues ?" The first voice said, calm, tranquil, deadly. This had to be a bad dream. "You! You are not to be here! You remember our agreement! We were not to meet here to comhence battle!" Ice filled the room as something in anger made the massive silver dragon, Xeir Zith, spit icefire at her enemy._

 _A snarl and a resounding smack was heard then, along with the rumble of something huge smashing into the cave wall. "You dare threaten an Elder? Impudent Child you will be taught a lesson you will never forget!" The second voice roared, its voice pure malice and malevolence, and echoed by a sense of darkness so dark that not even the Sun could pierce it._

 _"And perhaps the lesson should be taught with the very thing you sought to hide from me." the second voice growled out. The sound of some sort of sludge being flung at something echoed in the cavern._

 _"NEVER!" Screamed the beautiful Silver Dragon. "You will not touch her!" It was then to be seen what was heard. Two truly massive dragons fighting each other. One silver, the other... darkness. Darker then any black she had seen in her life._

 _This was her realm. Xeir Zith flared up again and once more spit ice cold icefire at the dark dragon. slowly but surely pushing the darker dragon backwards from the strange glittery rock. The sludge, had stopped only inches from it, repelled away by eithert the sheer cold of the rock, Or something else within it, something pure, something innocent._

 _Something powerful._

 _The Ice Fire began to take affect on the Darker Dragon's scales, locking them so he could not move of his own free will. He then snarled and seemed to melt, leaving a shell of ice where his body used to be before he appeared on the other side of the cavern; his maw opened wide as he charged up his own breath weapon. Pure Darkness escaped his maw, swirling like a mix of Fire and Lightning towards Xeir Zith before he slammed his front left claw upon the ground and roared ferociously._

 _"The Lesson has only just begun, Child." A single word came to Xeir Zith's mind; a name, really. Draco._

 _With that, Draco's massive wings Spread out, and from the shadows of the Cave, a small platoon of Demons made from pure Shadow lurched forward towards the Silver. The twenty ofthem slipped through each other and around the rocks of the floor, heading for their target with demonic smiles and with laughter that would make a Hyena's laugh seem like that of a Baby's._

 _Getting tackled by the much older dark dragon was not exactly Xeir Ziths plan; but getting hit by his shadowfire was far worse, Rolling out of the shadowfires path. Xeir Zith shot back with her own icefire._

 _Moving backwards, protecting her only offspring. the silver dragon seemed to look for a moment, as if time stopped,. Her tail coiled tightly around the strange glittery rock, Xeir Zith stepped forwards, bringing her head up against the ceiling of the cavern, it began to shake. She had to bury her egg. A forlorn look was cast to the egg, befiore she nuzzled it, and for a brief second, something was inside that egg. Something... someone... important. The cavern began to collapse all around the Silver Dragon as she uncurled from the egg and made a dash for Draco, to tackle the elder evil dragon out of the cavern and into the valley beyond as the ceiling broke apart around them and caved the cavern in_

 _Draco's Wing came around and blocked the Ice-fire, moving to slam back and open, shattering the frozen shell as he snarled. He then began to charge up his Shadow breath once more before that blasted Silver began to make the damn cavern collapse! "You imbecile! You will never live to see your hatchling if you destroy your egg!" Draco snarled before being tackled out of the cavern into the valley, where he moved his powerful legs and pushed off of Xeir Zith, his wings spread out as he straightened himself out quickly. He may have been evil, but he still understood the desire to mate; to have offspring, to see them. He'd seen the heartbreak before; and convinsed himself that it was something he never wanted to see again, let alone feel._

 _That then became a new source of rage towards the Silver; she'd made him see something similar to what he witnessed when his Little siblings were to hatch, and never did, again. And She'd done it to herself. With a raging roar, he turned and flew off to gather his thoughts._

 _As the cavern collapsed Xeir Zith shrieked again, once more firing her breath weapon at Draco. "You were not to be here to begin with!" She screamed, Elsa felt herself somehow be in two places at once as the Silver Dragon collapsed the cavern, she could only hear the two, not able to see the two dragons as she was more concerned with the roof crushing her. Within minutes it became an avalanche of snow, ice and rock. Burying Elsa within the remains of the cavern, her and the strange glittery rock. As she gazed on the strange rock she found herself moving towards it. She wanted to touch it. but as she reached for it, reality seemed to wake her up_

Lilah nodded as Elsa explained the dream, the cavern collapsing around her woke her up. "That is what I call a nightmare." The Assassin said simply

Elsa nodded "I agree. But... why was I a dragon in it ?"

"Not a clue, shall we eat breakfast ?" Came the reply, a simple nod was given and the two headed for the dining room

 **Arendelle**

 **Marketplace Assassin Den**

 **Before Dawn**

When her brother didnt return home as he said he would, it was later told past midnight that he went for a walk and couldnt shake the feeling of something at the Wolfe Mausoleum he had to check on, Serenity decided to go search for her brother and make sure he wasnt dead. So, the Bengal Tiger watched as men and women filed in and out of the refuge space before sneaking in, using her natural abilites at hiding and getting about unseen to pick up her brothers trail and wander into the massive tombs and many mazes of vaults.

The massive feline wandered the many vaults until she came upon a open stone door, an open heavy as fuck stone door. Shifting form as she stepped forwards Serentiy stepped into the tomb of Yaeko Wolfe, and saw her brother sound asleep on the floor before the alter where Yaeko laid in peaceful rest. there was no dust in the room and Serenity saw her brother had lost grip on his sword, had he fought someone ? She went to his side and rolled him onto his back. he was breathing, showed no signs of injury, just dead to the world from sleep

But there was a problem she had to get him back home. And the only way she could really do that quickly was by being in her natural form. Shifting into her Bengal Tiger form the four hundred pound cat then managed, somehow, to get Mark onto her back, then picked up her sword in her teeth, she then darted out of the tomb of Yaeko Wolfe after giving a brief bow to the laid to rest woman. It was time to take her brother home before their mother or aunt freaked out

Sadly that happened exactly as Serenity walked into the Den by taking the rooftops skillfully unseen into the home's courtyard. Now was the time for work to be done. Mark was out of it, and the twins were needed to take his place at the normal posts. But with Mark out of it, it meant no bird feeding that morning. Serentiy carried Mark on her back right to the den courtyard where her aunt was waiting. 'Aunt Blackie' stood there clearly confused as to why, Mark, of all people, was dead to the world on his sisters back

Seeing Blackmane there the younger tiger went right to a nearby bench and pretty much sat her butt down, Mark sliding off her back onto the bench as she shifted form and took the blade from her mouth; sheathing the thing as it then disappeared. Blackmane spoke "Where'd you find him ?"

"Passed out in Yaeko's own tomb" Came the reply, Serenity looked after her brother more than Serena did at times, it got to the point where only Serentiy knew what Mark did when he went out on his own, but because both girls were identical twins as humans, Mark couldnt tell that it was Serena that ratted on him to Snowfeather about the girl he was seeing briefly back in Egypt

"Why was he passed out in Yaeko Wolfe's tomb ?" Blackmane asked

"No idea, why not ask him ?" Senereity said snarkliy before wishing she hadnt spoken those words as she was suddenly on the frozen ground in a heap, her left cheek and chin were stinging from the sudden noiseless and without warning slap from her aunt

"Do inot/i take that tone with me young lady." Blackmane hissed as Serenity laid on the ground in a heap, tempted for a brief heartbeat to transform and attack her aunt, she simply nodded without a word however, she knew better than to get snarky with her aunt or even her mother unless the time called for it. For long moments nothing was said as Serenity laid on the ground a few meters from where she laid her brother on the bench, her hand to her face, Blackmane could move without getting seen as doing just that.

Blackmane stood stock still as it began to snow lightly. Finally she spoke. "I am sorry, Serenity, but even as an adult you must remember your manners and who you are with," She said softly coming to her nieces side and briefly the young woman didnt want to show the bruise that formed on her face as Blackmane brought a gentle healing magic to heal the briefly given injury. "Please, tell me what happened as best you can figure"

Serenity nodded and recounted her story, how she had found Mark and where, there were no signs of injury on her brother from what she could tell. "His sword was on the floor, he was at the foot of Yaeko's altar, but there wasnt any dust in the tomb so I couldnt really track anything or find enough clues to form a proper Vision of what happened, so I got him on my back, took his sword in my mouth, and came back here"

Blackmane was quiet a moment or two berfore nodding, she patted her niece on the shoulder and stood up. "Alright, I want you to cover for him then, go see what Elsa wants him for, normally by now he is feeding ther birds or something similar for her. Do what he does, within limits, after all, he is male, you are not"

"Thankgoodness for small favors" Both women smirked at the remark before Blackmane continued

"If she asks you why he isnt there, he is asleep, was up too late most likely. Her information might be able to piece together the Vision for you" Blackmane said

"Maybe." Serenity replied thoughtfully, "What about that Elisar girl, you know, the one from the brothel ?"

"There is a thought, Alright, I want you to go see to Elsa, do what she wants or asks, but be decreet, its bad enough you came in here as a tiger, I'm glad nobody noticed" Blackmane said

"I took rooftops" Serenity replied

"Good" Blackmane said, with a nod she then said "Get your brother in his room and put him in bed, dont worry of undressing him or anything, just get him into bed and throw the covers on him; When he wakes up he'll wonder briefly where he is, but we'll worry about that later. Once you do that find your sister, I want her to investigate the Brothel. Find out what she can of the Elisar girl there." It was strange, there were more Elisars around ? Not really possible, Serenity remembered something and she activated her left wristphone, Slicer had found a brief moment to get a good angle on Diana as she piloted the massive ship that docked the day before.

"What is it ?" Blackmane asked seeing how her neice was acting as the younger woman stood up and held out her wrist

"A shot from Slicer's camera from the ship, this woman" Serenity highlighted Diana as her aunt watched the video "Took over piloting the ship from Mark, the ship seemed to buck against him, but not her. I think it bears looking into, but I'm not sure why. her name apparently is Elisar, but that's impossible isint it ?"

"There are many families of the same name across the world, dont get too up in arms about it, have your sister Serena, go to the Brothel, find this woman, and chat with her, maybe she can shed some light into why your brother was asleep in the tomb" Blackmane said

Serenity nodded and once she had pretty much dumped her brother in his bed and threw the blanket over him she went to find her sister, then from there went to find the Queen as her sister had a job to do as well.

 **Arendelle**

 **Talz District**

 **Brothel**

 **Just after breakfast**

Serena arrived at the brothel as instructed, the large building had a gated courtyard, and yet Serena knew better than to sneak in, according to her aunt and sister, a woman named Elisar ran the place with a tight grip, yet the girls seemed well off. Taking a brief look about the elder Tiger stepped to the door and went inside. the first thing she saw were girls, many girls, and men, many of them Templars, typical, the girls got info, and money. Perfect. She spotted the desk and went towards it, ignoring many of the other girls until she stood at the desk. Serena wasnt there for pleasure, only business. with one girl inparticular.

Serena never saw a parrot watching from a nearby rooftop, a smile on the mans wicked face, his eyes aglow with darkness. Soon...

The girl at the desk looked up, This was one of the few places Marion would let her hood down, but still kept her scarf, especially now that Diamond had decided to make her residence in the center of her otherwise exposed sternum. Darned Arendellian Dresses, the clothing in England was better for covering depending on the season. Everything here was heavy, stiff, and showed off her chest as if it were the only thing good about her. She sighed and then smiled behind her scarf.

"Welcome to the Elisar Brothel." She greeted Serena with a warm voice, though her eyes were piercing and searching for info or weaknesses. "How may we be of service?"

Serena seemed slightly put out at the look of the place; Courtesans were normally young women, ready to please a man somehow. But here she was, armored up in her normal gear. the brown and silver leather armor glittered in the lights within the brothel as she half smiled. "Information" Came the reply, Serenas calm voice and piecing orange eyes made things slightly tense but not too tense like it was back at her home at that moment. "About last night. its said that your girls can get information about anything or anyone within moments of being told of an event or person. Last night my brother didnt come home until my sister found him in his ancestors tomb..."

Marion tilted her head slightly, the guise of Diana becoming more apparent with each passing second. "Very well...I'm sure we can give you the information you desire." She was about to go on when Serena mentioned her brother. A raise of the brow, a tilt of the head, and a repeat of the word "Tomb?" helped give the confused look its perfection.

Diamond stirred in the back of Marion's mind, and she quelled the Dragon for the moment.

"Who might your brother be, if you don't mind my asking?" She asked politely. Please don't be Mark ran through her head at least a thousand times.

Sadly it ended up being just that, "His name is Mark" Serena said, leaving out the last name, after all he did grow up with them, best to keep exactly who he was partly a secret, then again it was quite possible that Marion already knew exactly which Mark that Serena meant directly. "My sister didnt find him until nearly sunrise and bring him home." Serena set her hands upon the desk. With Diamond stirring Marion could easily see something more akin to a Bengal Tigers massive paws on her desk at that moment inplace of Serenas slender hands

"I was sent to find out why my brother was in that tomb." In truth she was sent to try and figure out why her sister was up in arms of their last name being used by a Brothel owner. But then she was also to find out what her brother was doing in the tomb anyhow; Orange eyes looked catlike and clear blue of a tiger as she took in Marion carefully, having never been given the womans name Serena had no idea who she was, but she was outlined in blue, an ally, so that was good.

Marion gulped at the name, but disguised it as clearing her throat. "I...can certainly have that looked in to. We document every piece of info that comes through here." she said, her choice of words a bit...well, y'know. She rang a bell and one of the younger girls too young to be a courtesan came up, she wore a similar outfit, but unlike the working girls, she lacked a collar around her neck.

"Go and see if there is any information on a man named Mark within the past...oh let's say week. And make it speedy! Our guest here seems to be...in a hurry." Marion ordered. The girl bowed and scampered off to where they kept all the info. Neatly stacked, alphabetized, time-stamped, everything. They were anally thorough. If they ran a Library, Mark would go bonkers with how easy it was to find information.

"Now then...while that's being taken care of, is there anything else you would like? Some tea, perhaps? Or a quick session with one of the girls?" never hurt to try and russle up business; besides, Serena's never seen her, so she was safe to ask. At least in her mind. The kitchen door was opened as another one of the younger girls whizzed by with a cart full of wines and other drinks; the smell of fresh meat being smoked wafting through the place.

"Or pehaps some meat?" She asked.

The smell of meat smoking and cooking made her nose wrinkle slightly, from what Marion could see; the tiger before her looked either hungry or recently fed. "Tea will do fine" She said simply in reply. The thought of meat briefly made her mouth water, but she ignored it, focus on the mission, get info of where her brother was; Then another thought hit her. Since Serena had never met Diana before, she was reminded of something and reached into her armor of her left side, and withdrew a image. "There is one more thing. Mostly out of simple curiosity" she said she handed Marion image taken from Slicers cameras, of Marion herself steering the Whitesparrow into its berth in the harbor the day before. "Merely curious, but do you know of the whereabouts of this woman ? My brother and mother are curious and want to know more about her, we know only she's with us in the Brotherhood... somewhere"

'Diana' looked at the picture of herself; it was a pretty good one; one she'd not mind hanging up on her wall one day, but then tilted her head in thought. "I've seen her come in here a few times to talk with the Mistress. Never much past that though." she said. 'Sorry mom...' she thought, seeing as now Serena would be looking to get in touch with Charity or Tiri. She called another young girl who then escorted Serena to a sitting room where she would be served Tea. Diana followed, and sat across from her, serving her the tea personally.

"It should only be a few more minutes before any info we have on this Mark of yours from the past week is pulled up. In the meantime, is there anything else you would like to discuss?" She asked.

Serena stepped into the sitting room and took a seat. She noticed a bird cage hanging near the large window to the south as sunlight streamed in. It was filled with birds, she was half tempted to try and bat at a few before quelling her inner cat from causing unwanted trouble. There was something though that Serenity had noticed on how the woman she spoke with at that moment was dressed, turning from the birds she spoke "Yes actually." She pointed at the pair of swords on one wall. Then to another next to them. almost as if they were memorials to someone. "It is repoted that this woman" she still held the picture of Marion in her hands, "uses two swords; swords like those..." But who would use four swords ? Well in this case soon Marion was going to be using six...

Serena put the picture away "Those dont matter. However..." She looked directly at 'Diana' Taking in the young womans clothing preference slightly confused. The scarf... "It is quite warm within this building. Why wear a scarf ?" Either this woman was the woman in the picture, or something else was up.

"Ah, I was afraid you'd ask that..." she said. "I'm...afraid that I've terrible scarring all up and down my neck and chest. Y'see, the Mistress took me in at her old brothel as her daughter after witnessing the house 'cross the street catch fire. I was the only one to survive." she said, gesturing that she was only about three at the time. Well, aside from the scarring, she wasn't wrong. "The mistress says that my voice will attract more customers, and that hiding my face will keep them guessing as to which girl I might be..." she added, a faint blush splashing across what was visible of her cheeks.

She'd rehearsed this. She glanced to the swords. "Those are the Mistress's, from an old life, she tells me." she said calmly before smiling under her scarf.

In the back of the young womans mind Serena's feline gut sensed deception, but she ignored it; for the most part it was the smart thing to do, she sat down as the girl requested to bring their drinks arrived. She had apparently accepted Marions story. "The swords look new, yet if they are from a past way of living, the owner keeps them well kept." Most swords needed repair or replacement after extended use. But the four swords that Serena could see, whivh were all Marions swords, two of them were originially Yaeko's own swords, the purple hilts and even brighter purple blades glittered like glass as a few sticks of incense burned by each giving the room a hookah like scent. Similar to how the Dens were smokey with incense at all times

"I am sorry for your loss" She meant it in a way. The loss of ones family was never easy. Her mother had told her how Mark came to them, sure they adopted him as their brother on paper. Snowfeather saw to that. But. "My brother once had a past, and a path laid for him to travel. But when it was young, the path changed... dirastically. He came to us. My sister and I welcomed him into our home. He was eight at the time... He liked my twin's training sessions more. the stuff we used he took great interest in."

She went thoughtfully quiet then. "I fear for my brother. Serenity found him in his ancestors tomb, asleep, his sword on the floor near him. No harm was to him in any manner, just sheer lack of sleep knocked him out... But the question is, why was he sleeping in his ancestors tomb ? His sword even drawn ?" Serenity had reported there was no dust in the tomb whatsoever. "What was my brother doing there ?" A few more minutes of chitchat while she waited for the info on Mark from the last week... yes that was good.

Then she spung the next question. "You mentioned the name Elisar, is that who runs this place ? The woman in the picture, it was said her name was Elisar ?" If this Elisar spoke with the mistress here at times, then Serena was in luck "When does she normally come in to see the Mistress ?"

Oh boy, more questions. She smiled and prepared herself. Might as well start with the swords. "Ah, yes. She takes great care of them, even taught me to do the same, for when she is ill or not around for the task. The Mistress is very busy." She was completely bull-shitting now, but members of the Wolfe Clan had been lying to people for generations; if anyone could lie, it was a Wolfe. And Diana, was one. She cleared her throat before continuing, on to her family. "I'm...it's fine; I've long moved on from my loss, I hope your brother has done the same, or is trying to do so.

As for the question as to why he was in the tomb, and for the Elisar questions, she had no real answer. Luckily enough though, there was a knock on the door as the girl came in with a few files in her hands. "As requested, Madame, everything on any man named Mark within the past week. I hope these will be of use to you." She said, bowing before leaving the room after refilling Serena's tea cup.

"Ah, thank you...here you are. I do hope you find what you're looking for in here. Do take a moment to peruse these, I'm afraid that I must excuse myself for a moment." she made a head nod that implied that nature called, hoping the Tigris before her would understand. She stood and left the room in a relaxed, albeit quick manner; just to catch her breath.

She gritted her teeth; dealing with Serena was harder than she thought; she could only divert attention now, and didn't want to cause anything unpleasant to occur and ruin the reputation of the brothel.

The good news was, it wasnt Serenity who Marion was dealing with; the young twin would have ripped the place apart looking for informatioin. Thankfully Serena was more level headed and calmer. Not as wild as her twin and though Serentiy liked to be in her Tiger form more often than not, Serena being there was also a good thing. They didnt want the kingdom to freak out... yet. When Marion mentioned the need to step out for a moment as Serena was given the files she sought for the moment the young Tigris nodded and opened the first, going by date she found the day before, last night actually. And focused on that one.

She found that her brother had gone to see Elsa, the two had dinner, a really nice affair with Diana present, and also Anna and Kristoff, then the five went to see the Northern Lights for Marks birthday. Wait it was her brothers birthday ? Will shit she missed it... again! She could still make up for it, he wasnt one to hold a grudge against family after all. After the Northern Lights Mark was spotted arriving at Blackrock Haven. The Wolfe Mausoleum.

Serenas brow furrowed slightly at mention of the tombs. What was her brother doing there ? there was report only of one person coming out, and it wasnt Mark, but a woman dressed in bright white and lime green. She went through the report again, the only mention of the woman in white and green was when she left the tomb, not when she entered. This raised more questions than answered. Very briefly a vision formed, but it lasted a few seconds from Mark's perspective, Mark speaking to the woman, whose back was to her, then nothing. No fighting, no information, just two people talking and the woman leaving ?

Diana returned after about five minutes, looking a bit refreshed based on her posture. She smiled and sat down across from Serena again. "I do hope you found what you were looking for? Any other questions would have to be directed towards your brother yourself, I'm afraid, in terms of what he was doing.." She said. She then cleared her throat.

"As for why we claim the name Elisar, I would suggest asking the Mistress; it is one of the few things she hasnt told me yet." she smiled, having thought up that lie on the way back to the room.

"Yes" Serena said "Mostly at least. However it raises further questions. There is no report of my brother leaving the tome, however, someone else was sighted leaving it, by the report, a woman. in white and light green. I cannot find anything further." And Lights magic prevented even Serena from trying to decern who Diana really was, but then again she really only saw a blue outline around her so she could trust her. her feline side sensed no further deception

She finished her tea and set the cup on the table. Then set the papers back down on the table as well. Her gaze went from the paper, the time of the woman in white and lime green leaving the door of the Mausoleum clearly visible to even Marion. "If my brother is awake, I am not sure he will want to speak of his experiences. Whenever the past is brought up, he changes the subject; it is a skill Mother wants him to break" Well, that wasnt good.

Mark never did like the past; always looking forward or in the now; especially when it came to anything having to do with the Wolfe Clan. Diana smiled and bowed her head. "We'll look into this woman in lime green and white for you, if we get any additional info, we'll send a girl out for you to the Palace." She said. "I do hope your brother learns to break his habit, it's quite the bad one." She added with an innocent tone.

Serena smiled and stood, "Indeed it is, Mother will break it, if not her than Aunt Blackie will. Either way, thank you, If I am not at the Palace I am at the Marketplace district Den, or Roughwater Den." She said. "Though I may return tonight after dinner for further info on someone mentioned in this report. And maybe speak with the Mistress" Well that would prove both useful and possibly insane. If Charity was revealed to be in Arendelle to Mark, trouble was to be had by the shitload. Infact if Mark were to hear his mother was in Arendelle shit would hit the fan, literally

Serena stepped to the door then, turning as she opened it. "If you can do me a favor by tonight, and get the last day of information on a woman named Elisar, she is mentioned in the report there. Would be nice to go over." Perhaps it could shed some light on what happened at the tomb. With that she took her leave of the Brothel as Marion saw her to the door.

 **Unknown Location**

 **Africa**

 **Light Dragon Graveyard**

 **Midmorning**

Kanwar stood amid the many pillars and gravemarkers. She knew many of these same names upon them, possibly all of them, ever since each type of dragon began warring with each other the Light Dragons had fallen one by one, Light's Court wasnt as big as it used to be, it used to dominate Africa and almost all of Asia before transfrerring by Lights magic to the Mythic realm, a realm outside of the mortal world she now stood in. Kanwar stood before one gravemarker, a light Dragon she knew dearly. One she saw slain by Draco himself, before he was met by the Wolf Queen. Before the Wolf Queen gave him his shadow magic, Draco was a basic Black Dragon and already very evil,. naturally so.

Kanwar stood for long moments in the snowfall staring at the tombstone and briefly seeing her dear friends smiling face before she heard footsteps of a dragon she had hoped would never find that graveyard. Speaking without turning around she said simply "I know why you are here, and it is not to pay your respects. I never thought a Black Dragon like yourself would seek out soliace in a place of burial" Kanwar was livid, but she kept herself calm, she knew things about Draco, for one, he did not have his body, she was present when Light seperated his soul from his body and sealed away his body in her vault under her palace in the Mythic Realm. "Why are you here... child ?" She asked him

Compared to her, Draco wasnt exactly a powerful dragon, he could wound her, but his magic was no match for hers, second only to Light herself, Kanwar was skilled with both blades and breathwapon. Even her wits were sharp. but if it was anything like some had feared; Like those who came before.

It was in cunning and wits that Draco maintained his advantage over most he quarreled with now despite his lack of a physical form. The distorted and older features of his human form stared sternly at Kanwar with a military-like preciscion, knowing her weaknesses were the same as any other Light Dragon, knowing how to exploit them if needed; with her in a bad mood as it was, she was easy to push over the edge letting him wound her if need be.

But he wasn't here for that, and for a moment, he made that clear by saying nothing as he walked right up next to her and stared at the grave marker. Evil he may be, but he did respect a good fighter; and this Dragon was one of them. His grim expression softened a tad before he spoke, his corrupted voice echoed by the screams of those whose souls he'd absorbed with his Shadow Magic.

"We are all but children, when one thinks about how old this planet is, really. Even Mother herself." he said calmly. Coal-red eyes turned to look at Kanwar while a Shadow Dagger appeared in his hands as they folded behind his back in his sleeves, hiding said hands from view for now.

Kanwar never looked his way, but she seemed nonchalant about him being there, she simply stared at who had once been for a brief time, her beloved, but was slain. Tersi was a good fighter, possibly one of the best, before Kalda became Lights champion, Tersi was the First Champion of Light, expertly trained and even very experienced yet slain by Draco she had made his . Finally she spoke, her voice stern. And full of apparently love for who she was speaking about. "His name was Tersi. You fought him, for a hundred days he dogged you, and you him. Until you were the victor. Even Mother had to commend your victory, as much as I dispised her doing so, she was right."

A boquet of lillies appeared in her hand as she steped to the tombstone and laid them against it. "Tersi and I were to be married by Mothers blessing. He joked of inviting you. Said it would be in good fun, two good fighters, celebrating together." She sighed then, her back again clearly visible to the Shadowdragon, giving the perfect opening to Draco. "We were to be married after he returned from battle with you and yours, he never came home."

Her eyes went gold as the pain set in, a single tear slid from her eyes as she turned, her hand out. pure energy flowing free from her hands. "Tell me, Draco scion of Noune, son of Tethir the Blackheart" She said, her magic grabbing at him and lifting him off the ground in rings of pure holy energy, "Why... are you... here ?"

Ah the holy grasp; it burned as it lifted him from the ground, and still he showed no sign of pain nor did he speak or make a single noise for the longest time. A low rumble emanated from his throat gently as his body turned to sludge and plopped to the ground only to reform in its own sickening way. He held a hand out towards the tombstone, and from it a small Demon of Shadow appeared, carrying a black rose. The demon walked up to the stone and placed the single black rose there leaning against the white.

"We all have our tendencies and rituals. I was here to perform miine. Don't tell me you haven't noticed the black rose I leave on every tombstone of each Dragon I kill?' he asked, not expecting an answer as he turned towards her; eyes solid red as they glared at her. Tendrils burst forth from the shadow of the tombstones around her and lifted her off the ground while he floated up and held his dagger to her breast.

"But if you mention my mother again; ithis/i will be joining her body in the place where I left her to rot." he said, harshly pressing the blade against her breast for a moment before he backed off and let her drop to the ground. "I may not be able to kill you out right; but give me a thousand years in this state and I can hack off enough peices so that it wont matter."

With that, his shadow began to bubble while he sank into it, preparing to leave. "Any other questions you might want to ask before I rid myself of your obnoxious presence?"

She simply stared at him with level golden bright eyes as his shadows held her in place before letting her free. When he started to leave she simply said "You saw her... didnt you ?" Her meaning the child of Xeir Zith, a child so pure not even the darkest magic in the known universe could touch her. "You know where the child is, dont you ?" Sure this was out of the blue, but Kanwar noticed a odd scent when Draco was face to face with her so close.

She could see he was also slightly unnerved by such a child so pure. His bodiless form wavered briefly "You fear what she could become ?" It was a simple question really, no gloating or anything of the sort, truly Kanwar was curious of what Draco was thinking. If this evil dragon got along so well with Jarius, why not her ? Then again Jarius was a chatty fellow for a Brass Dragon and loved to chat. Chatting with ones most hated enemy was possibly the dumbest thing to do or attempt but Jarius did it pretty much once a week

Draco was silent. He glared at the light dragon before him with her words, and his lip twitched. He vanished into the shadow, a dagger of corrupting darkness flying towards Kanwar. If it hit her it'd slowly corrupt her and turn her into a shadow demon under his control. Whether or not the dagger hit her was none of Draco's concern any more, and he was gone. His actions answered her question though; he's seen the child, and as of late, she was un corruptible.

Kanwar reacted simply by lifting a hand, catching the dagger between two fingers and flicking it away where it fell harmlessly to the frozen ground before fading into harmless smoke. She nodded. "He's seen the child... He fears her" She brushed a gentle hand on her lovers tombstone and then disappeared in a flash of golden light. There was someone she had to see.

 **Arendelle**

 **Marketplace Assassin Den**

 **Noon**

Sunlight filtered through the window, the glass was frosted over slightly, only so far in order to get things a gentle almost underwater feel. the den was devided into five parts, the main living area sepreate from the main missions and recruits access areas. With the bedroom dedicated to the kids, in this case mark and his adoptive sisters, the twins 'beds' were actually mostly pillows still kinda intact. In fact when the girls went crazy with bad dreams or pillow fights, which happened pretty muce at least once a week. the'd go buy new pillows. Then again the girls, Serenity mostly, slept in their tiger forms at night, normal beds couldnt hold their weight if they were lucky. On the normal bed, which was Marks own bed, laid Mark

Another room was dedicated to Snowfeather and her belongings the girls werent allowed to touch; a few pieces of Eden were in there; most of them dead or inert. A third room belonged to Blackmane, but nobody knew if she ever used it, it was always locked tight. Another room was dedicated simply to the RC rigs the girls used, well Slicer normally was in Serenity's bed with her when she slept most nights rather then on its assigned workspace. But it didnt matter as Slicer was with Serenity at that moment, with Elsa keeping the Queen safe while Mark slept like a dead Egyptian king.

The main living area, or Commons Room, consisted of a massive kitchen, dining area and main family room or gathering space area. In all about three thousand square meters of living space. It was in the main eating area two people sat

The tension was thick, too thick. Thick unough to cut with a knife. Two sisters were locked in mental combat, a game of Chinese Chess. A game of extremely hard logic in the sense that Blackmane always hit hard with certain angles and unique questions that Snowfeather was almost constantly cluless on until it turned into triple jepardy, yet also lots of fun once one knew how to play it well enough with Blackmane.

A faint shuffling broke the silence for only a second before it returned, and for a while, it remained. Mark had woken up and was sitting on his bed; wondering just where in Arendelle he was before his vision cleared and he realized where he was. He stretched out and stood up. Someone had taken the liberty of removing his cloak and pants he saw, as well as his shirt; leaving him in a tanktop and his boxers. He blinked and looked down at himself, shaking his head. He went to his dresser and pulled out a fresh tanktop and pair of boxers, changing into them before putting on a pair of pants as well. The tanktop didn't do much to hide his scarred, muscular frame, but he didn't care.

The tension in the Commons room only heightened. One wrong move and either of the sisters could lose. Currently it was Blackmane's turn. Mark entered the room and made his way to the kitchen. Making sure his sister's weren't home, he reached the stash of Oreo cookies and snatched them without a sound. He took a few out, replaced the stash and then poured himself a hearty glass of milk. Mark looked over the chess board and his eyes became ringed with Silver; it seemed that it was his new norm as Kalda was constantly awake now.

"You're both thinking too hard." was all he said before he downed the rest of what one could hardly call a breakfast.

"Are we ?" Came the seemingly overjous reply, from Blackmane. The two had been playing what could have been Chinese Chess, if it werent for the massive gameboard that included apparently half of Aerendelle and most of London and all of Cairo, it was international chess at this point, the board was holographic and included many features found in chess, yet it also had many map of the world features, Cairo, London, Arendelle, what looked like the set from an old movie down in New Zeland.

How Blackmane made that place up, nobody knew. Ity was in fact the Courts of Light, a massive white crystal tower in the middle of beautiful mountains somewhere in the world... but where was a different question entirely. Blackmane was a thinker, and doer, she did stuff that people refused to do, most of the time as a up and coming Assassin new to the order she went on the truly suicidal missions, and her uncanny luck, feline grace, and somewhat unwanted presence made the missions she went on easier. If someone wanted the enemy dead and make it look like antoherp arty did it, but the location of the dead to be found extremely secured at the time back in the late 1960s this wasnt easy, most stuff back then was high tech, but not as hightech as it is now.

Snowfeather made a move, amazingly it was a overlooked pawn that Blackmane somehow or intentionally missed. "Promotion Queen" She said simply. Blackmane did just that, the peioieces were thrown together mostly out of their mystical magics and whatnot, a bit of yarn and bam you got a chess piece that looked like it somehow went unscathed during the Hiroshima bombing

Mark nodded to Blackmane's question and then moved to the kitchen again to make more food for himself; ever hungry. "So...why didn't anyone wake me up for the bird feeding?" he asked, noting the time, about ten after noon. "And if no one woke me, who fed them?" Those birds tended to go a little nuts if no one was there to feed them their breakfast. Cleaning a massive variety of bird shit from the courtyard of the Castle wasn't exactly the best thing to be doing, but one wouldn't have to if the birds were fed on time.

"Thank your sister, Serenity's intuition sent her looking for you well past midnight" Snowfeather said, as to who unclothed mark down to his boxers and tanktop at the time, well, only Ulnaus knew that. "She brought you home from what I understand, before dawn" Snowfeather then waited for her sister to make the next move on the hologprahic chessboard.

"I sent Serenity to aid Elsa in whatever she needed this morning. There are many questions raised of where you went off to last night and it made your sister worried so she went looking for you, thankfully she found you before you froze solid in the snow" Blackmane said moving a fith or sixth queen of her own pieces to a place on the board. "Of course she... was in her tiger form why she went in that form when two feet would have done the job nicely I have no idea."

Letting out a sigh he turned on the stove and cracked few eggs into a bowl to scramble them while a skillet with butter on it began to heat up. He let the butter melt and slide around the pan before he put the eggs in, adding flavor and also helping the eggs not to stick to the metal as he cooked, finding a spatula and a spare plate and everything else he needed while he cooked, yawning a bit.

"Well since Ulnaus isn't breaking down a door right now I'm assuming the birds have been fed by Serenity." he said calmly. Upon hearing that she was in her tiger form when she found him he paused, the smell of freshly cooked eggs wafting through the home for a moment before he sighed, shaking his head. Serenity does as she pleases most of the time, one day it'd get her in trouble.

Plopping the eggs on the plate and replacing them with bread, he quickly toasted the bread and then plopped it onto the plate as well before turning off the stove and setting the pan in the sink to be washed later. He poured himself more milk, and sat back down at the table. He left for a moment to get a fork and then sat down again. He stared at the board and raised an eyebrow.

"Why such a big board? You both know the game would be more intense with a smaller one, yes?" he asked.

In a game of chess it was always true, the smaller the board the better the score and the tighter the strategy. Yet with larger boards there were more playing pieces and in many cases larger 'armies' But there were also stacks of contracts, both for Assassin recruits and Mentor level Assassins or even Den Master level assassins witrhin the Brotherhood. Each part of the game board apparently represented a branch of the Brotherhood, and they were playing Chess, or at least a variation of it, uising those three regions.

"That could be true" Blackmane said as Snowfeather glanced towards what had to be a realtime satalite map of a traffic accident in progress before moving a piece to float ontop of it. holographic board or not, Snowfeather just took out one of Blackmanes nine different rooks. "But with smaller boards leave out infrormation that could be gained from larger startical angles" Basically she was saying 'you try playing chess on a 6x6 board and figure out how to put the possing king into checkmate before getting locked movement wise and get back to me quick as you can'

"But smaller boards also give grater satisfaction and greater scores, the pieces may be larger or smaller to scale with the board size, and if wanted, could mirror or multilevel the board" Snowfeather mused, that said Mark then noticed the levls of the chessboard were three, like floors of the den, only inthis case each level was holographic and the pieces were scattered on each level, and the rook that Snowfeather just moved was originally on the middle level, now on the bottom, in London board apparently

The car wreck in question on the holographic gameboard concerned a certain theif a dozen years before whose job was to steal the car, cause a wreck, and get away scot free, the thief had indeed done that, by stealing a cops radio, jamming their signal and then going for a brief swim. Marion was that good

"And yes, Serenity fed the birds in your place. Some of them freaked her out, but not so badly with Elsa there and Ulnaus keeping things civil. How you can do it she'll never know" Blackmane said simply. Staring at the board, it was her turn. All that was left was where Serena was.

"In the meantime, with Serenity with Elsa at this moment, I want you to go find Serena, I've a mission for you both and I think its time for you and Serena to have a contract within the kingdom together. You may be renovating the Wolfe Manor; but Serena and Serenity are your sisters. You need to spend time with them too. Not always in the manor or with the Queen. Understand ?" At his nod Snowfeather too nodded "Good, finish your breakfast, get dressed, and go find Serena. Try to not get eaten alive."

 **Location unknown**

 **Aaetherspace Monument**

The tomb had been long since cleansed, which meant that she had to make a new space to call home for tempoary means until she could take what was hers by right. So she had taken a monument and transfered it through her power into the Aaetherspace, a Monument, a castle of a sort. And because of their duty, there was only so much they could do. The ancient deathless woman sat upon her rotting throne with a bemused look upon her face as she saw Draco pacing clearly unnerved by his brief encounter with a much older dragon in the Light Dragon Graveyard. "I warned you she would ask." The Wolf Queen said simply; there was no mirth, no gloating, only dead in her tone. After all, she should have been long dead. "Visiting the Dragon Graveyard the same time she visited upon the death of her beloved that you slew in battle. You were planning to see her were you not ? But not expecting her question ?"

Draco snarled at that. "I had no intention of seeing her nor hearing her question." he turned to face her, glaring up at her with his coal red eyes. His military over-coat flared out as his power flared within him and he let out another snarl.

"The sooner we kill that child the better. No...the sooner iI/i kill that child, the better." he growled, turning his back as he began to go through the various ways he could kill her, slowly and painfully.

"When you saw the child your own magic could not touch her. How can you be sure that you have the strength to slay the one who fought you for a thousand years, let alone her child ?" The Wolf Queen thought aloud. "A child, so weak, yet, so pure, Her taint is in your magic" She rased a rotted hand, her own necromatic magic drawing from his, a shard of bright light. No larger then a shard of glass or blade of grass. "A child so pure, you worry about her now ?" her fingers seemed to light on fire when she touched the shard of light before snuffing it out. "The child is in the... care... of our friends and allies right now is she not ?"

Ingrid sat back in her chair, a thoughtful look on her face as she watched Draco some more thoughtfully before speaking anew "The child will grow in strength, with the right teacher that strength could be useful..." She mused then. A smuile playing upon her rotted face, she leaned forwards as a necromatic wolf wandered in and sat beside her. "The child we will worry of later... Or have you forgotten what it was like when you lost... to her mother ?"

Draco ignored the question of losing. It was not to her that he lost, but to the other one. He let out a roar and within a flash was mere inches away from swiping the Wolf Queen's head off of her shoulders, a more demonic, wretched side of his face showing, distorted and scaled and horned while oozing black liquid.

"What makes you think you can corruput something so pure? So innocent!? No, this must be done my way! Skin her alive, starve her, give her to my kobolds during the Late Winter I don't care! She must die!" he all but screamed at her, rising above her body like a thunder cloud, loud and powerful.

"And what makes you think that you can do it when your own power could not so much as touch her and your own skin to burn at her own touching of you ?!" The Wolf Queen stood from her thrown, her magic was older than his, and she could best him herself if she had to. But no, Draco was her creation, if worst came to worst, she could destroy him, But no, not yet. No, somehow she knew she wasnt going to be the one to end his life, If anyone did. She had no idea who.

"You are without what makes you a Dragon, Draco son of Tethir, Without your body you have no hope of even touching the child a second time without enduring severe pain." The Wolf Queen said, her steel blue eyes full fo life which contrasted her rotted flesh and ancient body. As she spoke she brought up a hand. In a shot of necramatic smoke the world changed around them

 **1 million years ago**

 **Courts of Light**

 **Dawn**

 **New Years day**

Energy slashed through the air as twin swords clashed with dark shadow magic, defending, attacking, breaking away, Strikes, parrioes, thrusts, and blocks were employed in random order to the point where the strikes were completely unothodox and randomised to the point of no form whatsoever. Yet the fighters held an energy unlike any other. Both Dragons had been going at the seemingly endless fight for a thousand years before the Shadowblack, Draco, struck, Xeir Zith brought her blades up to block, but he did not strike with his magic this time, no, he used his claws. Shadow magic laced claws ripped into her hands, destroying her swords and sending her flying backwards with a crash

Draco had turned the landscape into a twisted battleground of death and torment, black flames flickering to and fro and barely living beings being dragged into the dark abysss to join his legions. He wasn't even breathing hard, and had a look of extreme delight on his face, givin to him only due to the resiliance of this young Silver before him, giving him a great fight; one that he'd longed for for quite some time.

Without missing a beat the Silver Dragon shot to her feet and ran headlong at Draco, sliver trails of bright light followed her bright claws as she struck fast and furious, she needed to end this fight and soon! In a desperate attempt to end it quickly, she made a simple mistake: allowing the older, much more experienced Dragon to block her strikes with his own, their fingers entwined as they pushed and shoved in an arm lock to the death before they broke off again, each Dragon moving with such ferocity that mountains shattered underneath the strength of their blows. Their hands and arms locked defending themselves with their magic full force. The two stared at each other as the shockwave of their collisions resounded for miles around them.

The two closed together once more and again locked hands and arms, the elder Shadowblack pushing the Silver backwards, his face becoming more and more distorted as he aimed for a killing blow by biting out her throat.

Finally, the Silver smiled, a smile so impish it seemed that she was treating the fight as a joke. She spat in his face, and it wasnt even her icefire either, just plain old spit. And it was all the distraction she needed. Draco, briefly startled, had not expected such a move from a Silver Dragon. Silvers did not stoop that low, ever. But Xeir Zith had! She broke away from him, backtracking five paces.

Her spit burned in his eyes and he snarled in pain, that pain turning into a chuckle as a tendril-covered aura of shadow surrounded his body to protect him while he cleared his eyes. And when Draco had his vision back, he couldnt see her, instead she saw iHer/i. His eyes widened as they became red as coals, and he widened his stance before his magic faded and he snarled into a huff, drawing in a deep breath. This was unexpected. He didn't plan to fight iHer/i...not for another three million years. This was too early.

Light's armor formed around her body as her golden magic swirled around her body, the Elvish-looking armor glittering with purity, preciscion, and power. She looked down on the Fallen Dragon and snapped her fingers, shifting the entire battlefield to something else. Something...different. Somewhere Draco had been unable to get any of his corruption to in order to fuel himself. He was alone now, his power gone as the Mythic Realm swirled around them, degenerating into Light's beautiful crystaline Courtroom itself. Draco's armor fell away from his body and evaporated into mist as he took a few hesitant steps back, letting out a rather scared, defensive roar towards the All-Mother, who merely blinked.

Off in the distance, Xeir Zith laid against what was once a boulder decimated by the battle, Kanwar helping to nurse her wounds; the young Silver didn't have much in her, and now, neither did the old Shadowblack. The two watched the All-Mother and the Fallen Dragon as they stared each other down. Draco moved to let out another defensive roar just as some of his magical energy returned to him, his Shadow forming under his body once again, and it was then that Light, Mother of all Dragon-kind, moved. Moving with a speed that only she could attain and track, she was mere inches from Draco in less than an atto-second.

A single palm slammed into Draco's chest with such an explosion of powerful light that everyone turned aside or shieled their eyes except Kanwar and twisted, going straight through his body and coming out the other side, pushing out a much more ethereal version of the Shadowblack's physical body. The ethereal body looked on in horror as his physical body slumped and toppled over, the wound beginning to heal itself in its own shadow.

" _ **Jaka wux geou qe lokria. Qe gethrisja!**_ " Light's words formed a magic circle underneath Draco's body, forcing it to shift into its natural, mountain-dwarfing size before sealing it in ice, and then piling even more ice on top of it to form what would become the Northern Mountain Range of Arendelle.

Before she could seal away the soul, however, it vanished in to none-other but her own shadow while she was distracted with the body. Light cursed under her breath and raised her staff in her free hand, restoring life and prosperity to the land as if the battle of one thousand years had never taken place. The only thing unable to be replaced, were the souls Draco had taken away. Those would be lost forever.

The world began to drop away as the words echoed once more in Draco's mind: " ** _Now you will be banished. Be gone!_** "

 **Present**

 **Location Unknown**

 **Aaetherspace Monument**

Draco dropped to his knees before the Wolf Queen and panted harshly, cold sweat dripping down his face as his body whithered away until it was mostly mist, reminding him in yet another way that he was insignificant compared to the power he was so used to having, the power that could overthrow the Wolf Queen if he wanted to, the power to bring a five thousand year darkness upon the entire planet if he so desired.

All of it. Gone.

The Wolf Queen smirked, the rare sign of an expression on her face not unwelcome, but all the more unnerving as she sat back down upon her throne, not bothering to look at the snivelling Draconian Soul at her feet while she crossed her legs at the knees. "Or worse, death. We both know you seek someone important to yourself and your children, would your death prove to your beloved wife how much you love and miss her ?" Ingrid finished

Draco finally caught his breath and swallowed hard, standing before the woman who made him into what he once was, and he narrowed his eyes. "Fine...you can have the girl; but I watch her die. You can at least grant me that." He said, his voice shaking, but otherwise, the same, demonic, scream-echoed voice.

Ingrid smirked and nodded "You will have your chance at the girl. But until then, remember this. Death is not as forgiving as I, do not let me send you to its doorstep. Though he is inviting, you are too valued by your children, and your wife... and to me to lose you." the Wolf Queen said. She herself had wrestled Death for her very life. Which she partly had; though her body had rotted. her minions and magic kept her alive this long. She smiled then, "Besides. Who better to bring the girl to me than yourself or your children ? Or do you not trust your offspring to do their tasks as directed ?" At least the twins were still in bed, and Jr and Taris were still doing their job, Brutus... ehh. he made good beer so it didnt really matter there.


	33. Seqeunce 8 Memory 2

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 8**_

 _ **Memory 2: Frozen Darkheart**_

 **13 Febuary 2052**

 **Arendelle**

 **Talz District**

 **Brothel**

 **Midafternoon**

 _"Hello Darkness my old friend... I've come to talk with you again..."_

 _ **\- Sounds of Silence**_

Tiri stepped out of the office as she saw a young woman in strange almost elflike armor leaving the brothel grounds. Seemingly intent on a mission of a sort; Stepping up next to Diana the Icewraith had her arms crossed as she watched Serena disappear into the crowd. "Who was that ?" She asked simply to Diana. "Did you make a new friend ?" When no answer was forthcoming Tiri went for the throat "Nice swords, They look familar... How did she look ?" She meant Yaeko. After all Marion wasnt in the brothel until the wee hours of the morning. the last time Tiri, or Xeir Zith as she once was, had seen Yaeko was ages ago. She was present when the woman breathed her last, felt her spirit go to freedom, saw her children grow up.

"Hasn't aged a day." Marion answered stopping and looking over her shoulder to the Icewraith. "He was there... tried to stop me. I was not expecting hiim to put up such a ferocious fight... I nearly lost my nerve." she said turning to face Tiri slowly, a small smile on her face despite the subject of the conversation.

Tiri smiled "Mother always knew to bestow her gifts on." Yaeko hadnt aged or decomposed since her death, and time entering the tomb hadnt even aged her body either. "You got her swords. But... Mark being there wasnt the tomb locked ? How did he get in ?"

"He followed me in, I think his innate sense to protect anything Wolfe is stronger than any of us could have anticipated." she anwered. "Don't worry though, no harm was done to him." she added, shifting her weight to her left hip.

"And yet you still got Yaeko's swords. Colored _Duradaeden_ isnt easy to come buy, much less forge on ones own." Tiri mused thoughtfully. "Mark is slowly wakening within himself, Kalda is stirring, I felt it. Remember when I mentioned the words your brother spoke. He spoke my name... My old name." Tiri's form briefly changed as she stood next to Marion, one moment it was Tiri standing then briefly it was Xeir Zith standing there before going back to Tiri. "Before Kethend broke me."

"Your brother may have a strong Vision ability, thanks to... who he was..." Tiri went throughtful then. Curious, "You nearly lost... your nerve, not really possible, I mean even Kanwar couldnt make you lose your nerve even though we did some crazy stuff to her and Mother so long ago." yeah, kids when bored where destructive. Kanwar wasnt happy, but Light was amused and there wasnt any punishment other then extra chores. "How did you nearly lose it ? Was it something he said ?"

She was silent for the most part until the final question, a smirk here or there at the antics, she -Diamond- and Tiri played on Kanwar as hatchlings. "He's still Mortal, and with all that power. He's not human. Not entirely anyway." she said. Thinking back on it she bit her bottom lip. "Then again... neither was his mother." she added. "No simple human has that much Magic cabability and ability to be close to so much _Duradaeden_ for so long without risking some sort of side-effect."

"I remember when your mother, Charity, was born. Never seen the Eagles in such joy before." Tiri mused, then again the quietness among the Tigris was expected, they saw life in the Mortal Realm as a simple set up, there was always something in the afterlife. Turning to Marion Tiri said "You never answered my question, what did Mark do, for you to nearly lose your nerve ? Was it something he said ?" She snickered at the thought of a side effect. "Being near that much iDuradaeden/i for so long... his immortal sides of him are strongest. But something teolls me it is also someone else aiding him... and its not... well, its not Kalda, if i was I'd know it." After all, for eight days they were married, her and Kalda.

"If it's not Kalda, then I don't know what it is. His immortal sides are fueling him with Magic, and he is becoming stronger all the time... I guess it was his resolve that unnerved me if anything. He didn't quit despite not being able to touch me. Most opponents leave after the first few swings. He just kept going like a machine..." she said calmly.

"Tell me something, Diamond... When I died... what did I miss ?" Tiri asked out of the blue. "You of all people have changed only so far and yet it is iyou/i that Mark faced in Yaeko's own tomb, what did Mark do to make you nearly lose your nerve ? And we both know, that even Kanwar had trouble teaching you with your dual sword skill against her one. If someone is helping Mark, and we both know its not Kalda, if it was I'd know, I'd feel Kalda at work... " Tiri forced herself to calm down then, She raised a thoughtful hand, a finger pointing up. "Did Mark mention anything about an egg or a child ? Maybe a name ?"

Diamond shook her head. "No, no mention of any name or egg. You missed quite a bit, the downfall of the Wolfe Clan being the most important thing to happen, really. As for Mark... again, no mention of any name or egg. But..." it clicked in her head then. "He was using Kalda's abilities without the presence of Kalda to do it for him." she said, moving to a chair to sit.

"He used Kalda's Gravity manipulation by himself..." She repeated, a little quieter this time.

Tiri stepped away and looked out onto the courtyard of the Brothel as Diamond took a seat on the porch. "Downfall of the Wolfe Clan..." Tiri mused... her mind wandered briefly, snow and ice rainfall, fire in the distance. Her heart hammered. "The night of the South Fires... twenty years ago I was on the slopes of the North Mountain, there was a fire in the south... Arendelle, here... Wolfe Manor... on fire... Marks sword... Kaldas swords... Kalda used two swords, why does Mark have one of them ? Yaeko used two swords, you have them, but..." She turned slightly calmer. "Yaeko, it all points to her that's how Kalda got his swords in the first place. Yaeko made them both. For him, Wolfe Clan has orders filled, orders made filed somewhere right ?"

She pointed to Diamond, still thoughtful and stepped up to her friend and at one point her younger sister. "You went to Yaekos tomb, retrieved her swords, but Mark arrived as well, Why ? Why was Mark even there in her tomb ? And dont say because the door was open, Even with it open Mark wouldnt have any reason to go into that tomb anyway. Yaeko Wolfe, his ancestor, your ancestor made swords for a living, she lived for twelve hundered and three years, so why there ? Why her tomb..." Once again her mind wandered. She remembered getting her own swords made with Yaekos instruction, Diamond too. but then she remembered the battle, and the destruction of her swords when in the final stages of the thousand year battle.

"Kalda is teaching him, but but someone else is guiding him. And its not Mother" Tiri turned towards the brothel door. Looking towards Diamond she smirked slightly, "You think we could visit Mother ? Or can you not make portals like Kanwar could ?" Kanwar could go back and fourth betwee nthe two realms. But since Diamond was reborn... "Mother would have the answers... I hope."

"He followed in search of Knowledge." It was Marion's voice that answered. "Mark's insatiable hunger for knowledge about the Wolfe Clan and where all of its secrets are led him to the tomb, to us." She said before Diamond took over again.

"As for where Kalda's second sword is, it's in my own tomb, safe and sound." she answered. "As for Mother... no, we cannot visit her. Arendelle needs us far too much; she may visit whenever she pleases however..." She added with a smile. "Plus, as she is, Marion Wolfe and her body wouldn't survive a portal transfer even if I could make one to home." She went on.

Tiri nodded, "True, A human, mortal body, even though reborn Dragon might get injured, or worse this young, Passage to the Mythic realm... I might shatter enroute..." That earned a giggle from her sister. "At least Mother can visit, so that is good enough for me. Hopefully she'll have the answers. Maybe" She said, she took a deep breath and let it out, she nodded again at mention of where Kaldas second sword was hidden, "Traps and pitfalls shouldnt be too much of a problem for your brother; besides, you're right, I asked you to hide it, now that I recall clearly, You brought the sword to me, I asked you to hide it, and you did. Good, now dont tell me where your own tomb is, it'd be kinda wierd for us to go in there ourselves." Deja Vu to the extreme that was for sure

Tiri then leaned against a post that held up the second floor balcony over the front porch of the brothel that over looked the courtyard. She pointed to the place wehre Serena disappeared into the crowded streets. "Who was that ?" It was gonna be a long day

 **Approximately 2,187,728 years ago**

 **Lights Court**

 **Mythic Realm**

 **21 December**

 **Dawn**

The entire Palace of crystal was in joy, Light was in labor unlike how normal dragons hatched their eggs, Light had chosen to carry her child to term like a human would in the mortal realm. And now she was in labor with Kanwar by her side to keep her in good spirits, and to help in case she was needed. The entireity of Lights Court was in both joy and something of upheaval. If Light was having a child, what would that make certain nobles in her court ? Unwanted ? Potential targets ?

Did they even have to worry ?

Nope

The whole point of this child was to save the realms at some point, Light never took the life of another dragon or mortal. It was against everything she stood for. Yet het children, asnd her childrens children, they took lives, for pelasure, for war, or to stave off boredom. This child Light made it clear, that this child was to be destined to save the Mythic Realm, all its Empires, and also the other two realms, the Mortal and Eatheral or Spirit Realm were all at risk of certain dragons terrorising the realms.

Which was why Asaca was her Champion, waging war in her name against certain targets of interest. But this child was important; destined to defend the Courts of Light, as well as something else that Light could not place just yet. When born, Xeir Zith had no interest in politics, just combat training, her mothers constant attention, and then when Diamond joined her life seven hundred years later, things got more fun.

But this moment was important because it was the birth of a important Child.

Standing guard outside the room was a very bored, agitated Kalda, glaring at anyone who came by with his arms crossed over his chest while he leaned back against the door frame. "Who the hell would Attack the All-Mother, giving birth or not?" he grumbled to himself, not caring if anyone answered him, or heard him. He'd been ordered by Kanwar to stand guard, and wasn't exactly keen on waiting around. A lesson she had been trying to teach him for at least two hundred years.

Of course, he was only thirty three thousand years old at the time, still a teenager by Dragon Standards, Thirteen and two fifths, if one wanted to be accurate. He looked it, too, his slender, boyish face held an expression of unrivaled boredom as he heard the cries of the Light while the childbirth took place in the room behind him.

"May we enter?" said one of many nobles gathered in a group in front of him. Kalda looked them up and down; members of all realms capable of surviving the trip were there. Tigris women, Eagle men and women, a few Dragons, and even a gifted Human or two. Jarius was there, as well, but he was more interested in the tea off to the side than the actual child birth.

"Nope. Can't let'cha in. Momma's Orders." He took to calling Kanwar "Momma" since he didn't particularly like the idea of calling her by either her name, or by any other honorific that would imply power over him. Poor boy had a thing when it came to authority.

"And why not?" One Eagle man looked offended.

"Cuz you ain't the All-Mother's Champion That's why." Kalda spat off to the side, a potted plant convieniently in the path of his saliva. "Now get outta here." Kalda wouldn't become Light's champion for a long time, when he completed his training and turned roughly two million years old. He had a long way to go.

"Young man, I'll have you kno-"

"Shove it. You wanna see something you wait like everyone else." Kalda growled. Despite his young age and inexperience, he had enough raw power to destroy half the Silver Palace if he lost control, though that rarely happened. His Silver Rimmed eyes glared at the noblemen and women before they all collectively sighed or huffed in disdain and walked off.

Well everyone but a certain Brass and a woman dressed in purple and pink. The two were talking together, the woman seemed to be throwing looks towards the teenage Kalda. Clearly amused at his answers, and current gruiff exteroir towards the many nobles. She smirked when a pair of Eagles walked by, though their wild colors makred them ore like Parrots or the like, but they were indeed of the Eagle Tribe. "Such impudence" Said one of them, of which Asaca herself belched softly before correcting

"No, tuna, its not agreeing with me either, Next time I'll take a lamb or goat chop" She bid goodbye to Jarius who simply smiled and watched as the woman stepped towards the door. But rather then enter she halted at it and turned towards Kalda, "Nobles giving you trouble ?"

Kalda looked up to the woman and nodded. "Yea they think they own the place." He said, not recognizing her nor her voice. "Don't tell me you want in too, lady, cuz I won't let'cha." he said, straightening his back a little. He had broad shoulders for a young Dragon, he'd make a fine warrior one day. Truth be told, he was told a password would be given if anyone wanted in, whether or not he remembered the code word however, was still to be seen.

Either way, he wasn't going to let just about anyone in to see the birthing, and would even pull up a chair if he needed to in order to prove his point in not moving. But of course, the door was unlocked; why lock it when one has a snarky brat as a door-guard?

Asaca smiled, "Oh not yet, Kanwar is with her, she should be safe and not need our help" She said, she looked a bit thoughtful then formed out of the crystal wall a chair for Kalda to sit on. "Rest your legs, Kaldakava, Kanwar cant have a tired student when this is over now can she ?" A light dragon could form stuff out of other stuff, within limits, Asaca mostly used her magic to make chairs, move stuff around, but never anything more than that.

"Besides, what good would I be within when the All-Mother gives birth ? Has anyone sent notice to you of progress ?" Her pale purple eyes glittered in the light from the nearby lightcrystals, "Perhaps how she fares ?" She looked towards the retreating backs of the nobles, a young Tigris male still remained and was talking with Jarius. The snowleopard markings on the Tigris face made Asaca wonder how many different bereds there were in the Tigris Empire to the southcenteral area of the map.

"Did Kanwar tell you to let me in when you saw me or did she forget... again, to tell you what I look like ?" After all almost all the Dragons in the Courts of Light had been informed of who her current Champion was. Everyone knew it was a purple scaled Light Dragon. One of Lights own breed. Yet, not many took the black haired pale skinned purple eyed beauty as just that, Lights Champion in human form. At a hundred and fifty three thousand years of age, Asaca was still quite young compared to even the strongest of Lights soldiers

Kalda raised an eyebrow at the chair before plopping down and leaning back in it, balancing on the back legs while the back rest rested against the door frame; he hated having his feet on the ground while he sat; a weird quirk but one he couldn't get over, no matter how much nagging from Kanwar. She'd make him eat at the table without a chair, and he'd just manipulate gravity so he could eat while laying down in mid air-He knew better than to sit on the table itself; the stinging didn't stop for four weeks.

"Nope; all I've heard is crying and moaning and groaning. Far as I know, everyone's dying." A morbid sense of humor, too. Typical of young Silvers, just... not as young as him. "Also hey how do you know my name?" Clearly Kalda didn't keep up with much outside of his training and his current orders, or sleep, or flirting with the girls; he fancied himself a ladies man.

He raised a brow again at the mention of Kanwar not remembering to explain who she was. "Must've done that; cuz I still ain't lettin' you in." He said, crossing his arms again.

"That is for me to know you to try and find out" Asaca said simply on how she knew his name. It was true, Light told her pretty much everyones names, and a brief snapshot of what each looked like so she could speak their name on first meeting. "Though you are younger than I had thought... Not as short though." She smiled then at mention of not being allowed in, she looked back to the door then to him. She was tempted to make the chair disappear, but she didnt. "Good, you follow orders as expected." She took something from her sleeve, it was Lights seal. she tossed it to him "Hold onto this. I'll be back for it." That was pretty much the password right there.

She stepped through the door without a sound, leaving a rather awestruck Kalda and a amused Tigris, and a rather overly amused Brass dragon out in the hall. Jarius spoke first. "So that is Her Champion; not what I expected" Asacas seal was the setting sun, framed by two lines seemingly glowing with inner light of pale purple crystals and a few glowing diamonds. It was set in a piece of white leather

Kalda sputtered as she tossed her seal at him, the thing landing on his face as he then lost balance and fell out of the chair with a crash, watching as she entered, blinking profusely while letting out an assortment of squeaking, dumb-struck sounds as he tried to process what had happened. He eventually shook his head and stood quickly, looking at the seal. Where had he seen this before? He ignored the bellowing Brass Dragon and Tigris fellow and went after her, opening the door and closing it quickly.

"I said she couldn't go in but she just..." he sputtered out a load of nonsense Draconian and English words as well as a few other languages; something he'd never done before. Then again, he'd never been this flustered before in his life, and didn't know what to do or how to react. Thankfully, Light wasn't facing the door, so he saw nothing of the actual birthing process. He looked to Asaca and gritted his teeth while balling his fists, so flustered that he didn't know what to do at all anymore.

But rather than looking towards him, Asaca was on one knee, her eyes averted towards the floor. Yet, the room, even with Kaldas sudden entry, was still rather calm. there was magic flowing freely within the room. He could see it like a misty cloud of blue and white light, seemingly flowing from Asaca directly, it swirled about the room, Light herself was quite calm.

And then it happened as Kanwar stepped into view. She smiled seeing Kalda looking flustered, she held a hand up, a finger as if saying to keep quiet and went to the bed, working swiftly as if she had done it a thousand times, Kanwar aided Light in giving birth to a newborn girl. And within a moment, a new voice was heard, a newborn infant crying for the first time as Kanwar handed the newborn to her mother. She beckoned both Asaca and Kalda to step closer as she went to the door. Jarius waited outside in the hall still, conversing with the Tigris, both of whom were the history keepers for their respective tribes. Kanwar nodded and stepped aside, holding the door open for them both to enter

Xeir Zith was born.

"It's all...squishy..." Kalda said, looking at the baby in Light's arms, his own crossed as he looked at her. He didn't think much of her; and quite frankly, didn't care all that much for children all that much younger than he was.

Asaca smirked, "You were too when you were first hatched" She snickered, which made Light smile, Asaca looked to her mother, curious she asked "What is her name ?" Jarius arrived as did the Tigris, Dathe, in time to hear the name of the newborn girl. the reason for the child Jarius knew, As did Kanwar, certain dragons have grown too strong. And this child was Lights means to queel that strength, or even end it completely.

But the truth of the matter was, nomatter what destiny the tiny newborn had, there was nothing quite like seeing a mother holding her newborn baby.

"Xeir Zith... that's what I'll call her. What we, will call her." Light said as the girl slept in her arms. She smiled down at the baby girl and let her eyes hang half-closed.

"Was not..." Kalda mumbled in response to Asaca. He nodded his head to Light and then turned to leave, putting his hands in his pockets and slouching his back.

 **Arendelle**

 **Present time**

 **Pond District**

Legend tells of how the Pond District first came about, where the there warm springs of water formed by magic of ancient days. It was here that the Templars made a strong stand, there were three supply depots in the massive district. the sheer size of the Templar numbers were enough to scare or worry anyone outright. Yet with people there for a purpose it only made things more fun to get the task completed in time for dinner. Besides, the district was too heavily Templar populated to even consider liberating the district as yet.

But then again, the two people sent to that district werent known for backing down from a challenge.

The contract was an easy one, steal a race deer, it'd have been a racehorse, either way ,the Templars were sure to get a shitload of money on the deal,. but with a Assassin Jockey, the Assassin's could get the money itself, the good news being similar things to happen at some point; but at this moment the plan was to either replace the jockey with an Assassin to win the race for the Assassins, or compeltely eliminate the backers behind the jiockey and unbend the axel, so to speak

So rather then go through the complicated proccess of unbending the axel by going after the backers, they instead chose to replace the jockey directly. But that meant eliminating the Templar Jockey and putting Serena in the guys place for that days race

The only problem was, the Bengal in question never rode anything outside of a hoverbike or riding lawnmower. Standing outside the templar stronghold, Serena thought carefully on her words to her brother. "So... what do you think ?" She said, the ornate building was more gothic like Noterdame Cathederal in Paris France than Norse in design. "Should we knock, or let ourselves in ?" By the words 'let our selves in' she was already making the motion to cast a battering Rune on the front door.

Mark had already drawn his bronze Desert Eagle and his sword, the gun aimed at the lock before he saw his sister's rune begin to form. He smiled and bowed softly. "After you Sis." He said calmly. As the door slammed open, swearing and yelling of all kinds spouted from the door before Mark charged in, shooting the first few Templars dead in the head before they had time to react to his presence. Brains and blood splattered all over the walls and he holstered his weapon, they'd be taking cover now.

"Room Service!" He called out before letting out a laugh as he hopped over a table and slashed one woman across her chest with his claws while slicing a man's back with his sword before he stopped half way through the woman's chest and closed his fist, grabbing hold of her clothing and pulling her to him as he slammed his forehead into her nose, and then pushed her back and spinning, her head hitting the ground roughly at the same time her body did while he flicked the blood off of his claws and grunted as a solid hit landed to his back, the armor deflecting the warhammer's hit easilly, but not blocking all of the initial pressure of the hit, the armor flexing slightly before forming its rigid structure again.

Mark spun with the momentum and drew his gun, unloading two shots into the man's chest, the .50 caliber rounds ripping his insides apart and making him stumble back while Mark charged him and slashed him to pieces as well. And that was only the first half of the first room.

A flick of the wrist was all it really took for the battering rune, or was it a ram rune ? Serena never could keep them straight, slammed the door in and all hell broke loose. Diving first for cover then drop kicking a Templar dead into a powerbox the lights went on a strobelight spree for a few moments before she pulled the man out of the wires. Briefly trading blows with a second man, Serena charged and transformed in a plume of purple and brown mist, and with a sudden roar a Bengal Tiger was in the room trashing the place crazily. Amazingly the tiger kept on two feet and easily moved around the room as if trained for such combat.

The massive complex went underground by two levels as well. The templars were planning on throwing a race to earn some money, but they werent going to get it, heck, the money or the race. What could they when they were dead anyhow ? Serena pounced a Templar who aimed at her brother, the crossbow bolt went wide and nailed the man her brother was fighting with dead through the neck. Serena ripped the throat of the shooter out with her teeth before spitting the flesh out, "YUCK! What do Templars bathe in ? It reeks in here!" She stood up and with her mouth as she was still in her tiger form, she grabbed a stool by the leg and threw it, smashing into two more templars before roaring and running for the guy who was running to tackle her brother, tackling the man clear across the room into a wall, leaving the two hundred pound guy flattened against the stone wall from a four hundred and twenty pound Bengal Tiger.

Mark was half spin into a spin-kick towards the guy who was planning to tackle him when his sister took care of him for him. He pulled his leg back and finished the spin before ducking another bolt from another crossbow. He glared up at the crossbowman and ducked again, slamming his hand on the ground, using Kalda's Gravity manipulation to slam the crossbow to the ground and shatter it. Mark then picked up a table and roundhouse kicked it across the room towards two more Templars who emerged from the door. He'd deal with the underground ones when it was their turn, until then, they'd have to wait. He charged the crossbowman and shoulder slammed him into the wall, the man's ribs all but shattering before Mark silenced his cries with a boot to his head.

"Once you're done playing, I'll be downstairs." Mark told his sister before moving the table out of the way, and opening the door, two bullets bouncing off his armor, making him curse in Hebrew before pulling out his Desert Eagle and emptying the last four rounds into the two men in his sight before dropping the magazine and loading a new one, cocking the gun before once more holstering it and starting down the stairs.

Her ears flatted to her skull at her brothers swearring, but she nodded "Who said I was playing ?" At that she flicked her tail and the remains of the table her brother had pulled from the door slammed into the face of a Templar woman, drilling deep into her skull and breaking her nose all over her face with such force the neck broke when the body hit the floor. She shifted on her feet into a handstand, or was it a pawstand ? And with her hind legs and tail she kicked out the eyes of one man, and then slapped the absolute hell out of the second man to try and take her feet before getting back on all fours and running head long at a pair of linebacker setup men with such force that both men, though easily each weighing half her own feline weight, couldnt stand a change as the floor beneath then broke and sent them falling onto the Templars below, who were oddly in the middle of a card game ?

Loking up from their game the four drunken men looked confused as one of their memmbers died from a shot from Mark and one said "Great, what do we do now ?"

To which Serena called down "Take out the duces and tres' Which resounded in two more shots and the second and third man also died, the first guy {the man to speak} ended up dying by someone falling on him when one of the upstairs Templars ran at the tiger, only to miss a step and fal lthrough the whole in the floor. "... Ouch..." Serena said seeing the pose the man who fell through the hole was in. Somehow reminded of a book she'd read. Murder by crotch shot, not every day it happened... with a deck of cards.

"Lovely night, ain't it?" Mark asked Serena as he slammed another Templar's head through the brick wall with his hand before moving to the bar, slashing a few Templar's across their faces and throats while moved with ease, sword and gun in his hands before he sheathed his sword and took a bottle of whiskey from the bar. "Bastard's been hoarding the good stuff...remind me to come back here after we're done." He said to Serena before turning to narrowly dodge another warhammer, which smashed the bar counter before Mark pulled the trigger, and blasted the man's arms off with one bullet.

"Oops." he said as he then moved as if he wanted to hep the man, his claws plucking at the poor guy's exposed nerves while his boot found its way to the guy's shin, both shattering it and making it bend in the wrong way like rubber. The guy dropped while screaming and Mark shrugged while sighing. "Tried to help you." he said, shooting the man to put him out of his misery. After this floor was cleared he holstered his gun and smiled to his sister.

"What say you we use bare hands only for the next group? And I do mean hands." He said, knowing full well that her human form could have claws too, she knew what he meant, since he would be using his claws.

Serena pouted, Ok fine, no kitty playtime then; she could always do that later. She turned around, as she did so the purple and brown mist danced on her feline body as she launched from all fours onto a Templar on the main floor, trading blows for a brief moment she sent the man flying into a door, which broke off its hinges, the man folded as the door broke apart ontop of him. Serena ducked a strike, smacked twice, and then threw the next guy at the front door, he smashed into the doors remains with such a solid crack that Serena snickered, it wasnt the old fashioned stocks, but it'll do.

She kicked up a broken stool and flicked it with her feet at another guy before blocking a strike from yet another Templar, well this place was full of them. She blocked the inital strike, landed two, then bounced backwards from the fourth strike. Ducking at the last second for the guy behind her to slam the chair into his fellow while she nailed him in the foot, then the nuts, then the stomach before breaking his nose clean off his face. the man fell to the floor in a heap

Serena looked about the front room, OK, that was the foyer, "Playtimes over up here, how's you down... wait never mind I hear a knocking from upstairs," Serena called down the hole before springing lightly for the stairs and all but dancing up them, two seconds later, four Templars crashed down the steps, all four, three women and one man, landed in a heap of limbs and chests and heads. Oh god it reeked up there for sure. Serena did the smart thing and ran for a window, blasting it open with a thrown stool the glass shattered and fresh air went into the upstairs hallway. How many templars were in this place anyhow ? A Templar group stared at her from where she stood in the hall, a litter of a dozen clawed to hell bodies at her feet. Her nails were sharp that was for sure.

Of course she was a Tigris. there was a reason for that. She was relaxed in the hall as a dozen Templars on both sides stood watching her. Waiting. Serena brought up a hand to her mouth and started licking, like a cat would, her left index finger knuckles to clean off the blood. A templar ran at her screaming, only to stop dead in his tracks as something came blasting through the floor from down below. a post. It nailed the templar dead in the face, the man halted, and fell flat on his back, stone dead. his face gone "Nice shot, I think you got him" Serena called out in Hebrew to her brother

"That gives me double points then, right?" Mark retorted in Arabic with a chuckle before entering the hallway and smiling. Blood dripped from his claws and boots, and was even in his beard. The only part of his body Mark didn't use for fighting besides the obvious was his mouth; lacking fangs or the ability to open his jaw that wide, he didn't use his mouth to fight unless fighting included the swearing and taunting.

The Templars all charged at the pair, and Mark assumed an entirely offensive stance, claws outwards before he darted forward, his arms were a blur as he moved around the group of six Templars, attacking so fast that they themselves had no time to attack as they all tried their best to block his strikes. It would be then that one of them dropped to a knee due to slipping on some blood, and Mark then spun, his whole foot colliding with the man's head as he flicked his hip into the spin for more power, and practically bashed the man's head off his shoulders like a baseball. Finishing the spin, Mark dropped down low to slam his open hand into another man's gut, rotating his arm and then grabbing the man's spine before pulling hard, and shattering it.

He retracted his arm and spun to back-fist a woman across the face. She recovered quickly and her knife bent upon meeting Mark's breastplate, the blade making Mark bend back to avoice the edge while his knee came up so his foot could catch the woman between the legs, and use his falling momentum and superior weight to lift her up and slam her on the ground behind him. He rolled onto his shoulder and then stood above her, dropping his knee into her pelvis, shattering that, while his fist found her throat, and pounded that with a good resounding smack.

Mark turned and flicked his arms out, blood flying off his claws as he then moved to the remaining three that were fighting him. Raising his elbows to block the larger man's punches, the man's fists cracked and his wrists snapped from hyper extention. Mark boxed his ears, gouged his eyes, and headbutted him hard before snapping his neck. Mark did take one solid sock to the jaw from one of the now remaining two, and he recovered immediately with a flash of his eyes, and a solid crack of his fist against their face in return, shattering their cheek bones and mandibles and knocking all their teeth out before moving his other hand around to slash out the throat.

Mark's final opponent stood before him and gulped hard, his knees shaking. The poor man had wet himself as Mark approached slowly, one hand moving to his jaw to move it around a little, the joint cracking as it righted itself, and Mark grunted while smiling. Within a flash Mark moved then, digging his claws into the man's chest and belly he lifted the poor man up over his head, and dropped him down on his knee, shattering his back before picking him up again and then throwing him quite literally across the room and hitting one of the Templars that Serena was fighting.

"I didnt know we were keeping score!" Serena retorted before ducking at the last second, the man in question sailed over the low railing to the room below with a crash and laid still. She ducked again as a body came sailing towards her and nailed the guy she was about to get attacked from behind by, seeing the man land in a heap of two dead bodies. she smirked "Strike!" She said in Hebrew before tackling two more men, one of them the Templar Captain of the district, the same guy who got away from Georgina and Diana only six weeks before, this guy, Captain Snaproot was his name, knew better then to stick around and fight, so he took off. He had to report this attack

Serena made to take off after him, when one of the Templars grabbed her cloak, yanking her back, "guck" she chirped, what the ? With a growl she flipped about, her claws digging deep in to the mans chest, when she pulled them out she held the guys heart, taking a wiff of the thing she wrinkled her nose, erg it stank! she stuffed the artery back in the guys chest as he sank to the floor and then slugged another guy dead in the face, all but snapping the mans neck.

That was that... "I'm not riding the muledeer for this race." Well, so much for THAT contract. She hopped the railing to the lower level by her brother, once more the two of them on the main floor Serena saw a workspace room where tools were kept, "I thought I saw some Templars through the window outside, Here" She handed her brother a shovel, taking one for herself she looked to him "Shall we do some gardening dear brother ?"

Mark caught the shovel and nodded, and out of simple playfulness, pretending the shovel was a pump-action shot-gun, cocked it, only to blink as an empy shell came out of it. "What the ever loving..." he looked around for a trigger, pointing it at the wall and making the motion of firing. Nothing. He blinked and looked at it again, pointing it away from his body, he stepped on the end of the blade as if he were going to dig, and then promptly dropped the thing as it fired leaving a table sized hole in the ceiling.

"Nope. Gardening never was my strong-suit." he said, putting his hands up and backing away from the shovel as if it were a cursed artefact.

Serena stared at the new huge hole in the ceiling, mouth agape, she looked at her own shovel carefully, even doing the same motion on her own shovel, sadly no avail before growling softly, "guns... hidden in shovels... Smuggled weapons." her eyes glowed brightly at something. "This is what mother had us looking for back in Egypt remember ? The mission with smuggled goods, we had to find out what was being smuggled, but we never could so we marked it as a failure, this was what was getting smuggled, guns, hidden in shovels!" She picked up Marks dropped shovel, he'd stepped onthe trigger, she pumped it again, then aimed it, using her finger where he stepped, just like a normalish, gun.

"We never checked for disgusied weapons! That's how they got their troops armed. Though I hope nobody worries about the ceiling..." She cast her gaze up at the body sized hole the shotgun blast left in the ceiling from the shovel. Serena turned to her brother then and pointed to him, "Oh and dont forget to come back in here after we clean up outside so we can take stock of whats in the bar downstairs" she said, reminding her brother, like he had asked, to come back when they were finished outside to take stock of the bar contents and maybe have it moved

 **21 April 1962**

 **Lights Court**

 **Mythic Realm**

Kanwar stepped into the massive throne room of the Courts of Light, behind her trailed Kethend, who took it all in clearly confused by the crystaline beauty around her. But when she stopped moving a shot of strange energy wafted from Kanwars pink and gold sword and struck Kethend in the backside, sending the raven haired woman sprawling on the crystal tiled floor in a heap "Dont do that!" Kethend all but shrieked at the much older dragon as she pulled herself to her feet. "I've not been here in ages! Cant help but take in a little detail of what changed, which, isnt much I see" That earned her a second jolt of energy which dropped her to the floor a second time

"Know your place" came the terse not amused reply; there was a lingering sadness in that place that day. but it wasnt going to last long. There was a young boy that needed a friend. And now was the time

"You are one to speak!" Kethend all buit screamed, she spotted Light nearby, holding over her hand a cubelike thing of glass and beautiful light. A Nexus Cube. A cube containing histirical records. Light watched through the cube their fight, and how Kethend had mortally wounded Xeir Zith. And how Diamond came to Xeirs defense, to capture Kethend, the younger Silver dragon easily knocking down the much older Shadowblack Queen and taking her prisoner just in time to see Xeir Zith cast out her immortal soul on the Kingdom of Arendelle.

Just seeing it made Diamond drop to her knees and weep. Yes it was beautiful what her sister had done, casting out ones soul was a beautiful thing, yet. Xeir Zith was now dead. Her soul was going to be reborn, but.. without her sister... Who was going to take care of her egg ? Where had her sister hidden that egg anyhow ?

But now Kethend, with Diamond and Kanwar, were in Light's massive throne room. And Diamond was speaking to Light, the two of them conversed as they watched the battle unfold. Finally light seemed to shut off the nexus cube and handed it to Diamond "Place this in the histories, it must be kept sealed away." Light said softly, Diamond nodded

But when the younger dragon didnt make to leave Light turned to her, a confused look on her face as Diamond then asked "Mother... May I stay ? I... I want to see justice done" Diamond said softly. Light nodded, she could stay, but everyone knew Light couldnt kill, wouldnt kill.

"So pitful, your own champion couldnt kill me and now niether could his mate. What are you going to do ? Weep for the lost ?" Kethend gloated

"Kaldakava was a worthy champion. You bested him in fair combat." Light began

Kethend snickered with a shake of her head, "No" She said "he started it by attacking I and my family in the Mortal Realm" Kethend corrected

"Be that as it may" Light mused "You still bested him in fair combat one on one... when injured... his orders were to eliminate you, to end the corruption of your shadow magic"

"You!.." Kethend started to say before she shut up, it was partly true. Kaldas orders were to destroy her and her kobolds, but he only ended up burning her severely and scattering her kobolds in fear of her pain, her pale skin showed her healing quite well. Her hair had even regrown.

Light held up a hand "Even so, Kaldakava fell to you in combat, you had your victory. I commend you" Diamond and Kanwar stared mouths agape, again ? Kanwar growled something as Diamond took a stepforward shouting in Draconian at Kethend that it wasn't fair combat that she won, but sneaky and shadows that aided her. Light rasied her hand again. "Now after a million years, you take your chance to strike, at my daughter... Why ?" Her words, her question, was directed at Kethend, Kanwar raised an eyebrow, so Mother commended Kethends victory, saying it was justly done, even though Kalda fell; as much as she didnt want it to be heard, again, it was true, the two had a good fight, they both fought with honor, mostly.

Kethend stood defiant in Lights Court as two soldiers stood in glass armor of many colors beside her ready to strike incase she did something stupid "She killed my beloved" Kethend said, Light smiled, Diamond tried to not laugh, same with Kanwar, it wasnt Xeir who bested Draco, far from it, it was Light herself who seperated ther Shadowblack Emperor from his body so long ago. "I waited a million years, a hundred thousand centries would not even have been enough of a wait, after my battle with your champion, I needed to heal, the burns he had given me in his attack on my family needed to heal. I waited, I healed, then when I was ready I struck. Your daughter was weak"

Light simply stood there before her throne, a simple soft smile on her face. heh. She didnt even try to stop Diamond who stepped forwards angerly and smacked Kethend clear across the face, claws out and everything. leaving five long cuts in Kethends fair face, her voice breaking as she spoke, Diamond hissed angerly "How. Dare. You" Diamond wasnt happy one bit "Xeir was ten times your power. You gave her no chance at fair battle, you forced it in the Mortal Realm! you knew she was weak in that realm!" She raised her hand to smack Kethend a second time But Kanwar halted her and shook her head, as much as Diamond wanted to strike Kethend she knew Kanwar was right. She buried her head in Kanwars shoulder, the two hugged as Light turned away and looked towards her own throne

"As much as you believe, it was not my daughter who bested your beloved." Light said simply, her back to Kethend. Pretty much giving the Shadowblack Queen a clear shot at her back.

Kethend growled when she realised her error, It wasnt the child who bested Draco, tearing him from his body ?! No! It was the iMother/i who did it! "You!..." She started to say stepping forwards but stopping in her tracks as bands of bright white light coiled around her waist and arms, holding her in place as a portal opened behind her. A portal to nothing but stars overhead and a bleak Aaetherspace island under them. Kethend struggled against the bands of light, but they were too strong. She was helpless as she felt herself fill with fear.

"Kethend daughter of Traeith the Black. I banish you to the Aaetherspace until such time as my daughter returns to my court." As she spoke Light turned and cast out her hand at Kethend, the bands of light pulled Kethend backwards towards the portal, Kethend started screaming in draconian her eyes wide and filled with fear as she struggled for long moments against the bindings of light.

Diamond watched as did Kanwar as Kethends screaming soon quickly cut off as the portal closed with her inside. Justice had been served. Diamond sighed softly, a tear slid down her cheek from her eye. How could she survive with out her sister ?


	34. Sequence 8 Memory 3

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 8**_

 _ **Memory 3: Thawed Hearts**_

 **13 Febuary 2052**

 **Arendelle**

 **Marketplace District**

 **Just before dinner**

 _"Seasons change with the scenery... Weaving time in a tapestry... Wont you stop and remember me..."_

 **\- Hazy Shade of Winter**

It had been a day since she saw Diamond returned from the dead as Mother had promised. About time too. The woman robed in dark purple and bright pink took her seat at an open air market to eat dinner, she never expected anyone to recognise her in any manner, if any one did recognise her it had been over a million years since anyone had seen her work her magic in the Pond District a million years ago. But that didnt matter at the moment, what mattered to the Light Dragon was her next meal. Her black hair was pulled into a lose ponytail to at least keep her hair out of her meal.

For the moment it worked nicely

She waited for a waiter to come and ask for what she wanted to eat, she never expected anyone to join her at table either.

 _Click Click Click!_

The rapping of the three large finger tips surrounded in iDuradaeden/i claws sounded on the glass table as the man sat across from the woman and gazed upon her for a moment. He'd approached unseen, and even sat unseen; deciding to tap his fingers as if waiting impatiently for something to get her attention. The silver and Bronze Glow under his hood didn't reveal much for anyone except him, as he took in the entire situation; possibilities of the next few seconds running through his head.

"Asaca." he said; his voice deep and soothing. Mark smiled, and Kalda watched from within.

Pale purple eyes looked first to the tapping noise and then upon seeing what caused it simply blinked, OK... who had claws on their armor ? One of iHer/i Servants perhaps wanted her ? Or was Kanwar in a bad mood again and wanted to prank somebody ? I mean come on, living so long and not having any fun makes one bound to go a bit stir crazy. Kanwar though went many places over time, so for the moment Asaca was safe.

Her eyes went back to the floating symbols from the white crystal she held. However they looked up again at the voice. It sounded hauntingly familar yet clearly unknown to her. Looking up she spotted the man, the owner of the voice she could only assume was male. He looked like one of the more common servants or lower ranked soldiers in Lights army. What in the world was he doing there ?

It didnt matter. "Who is asking ?" She asked calmly. She held a crystal about the size of a large metal rod or spring from a truck in the southern cities that Mark was used to, technology had yet to really reach up there, but data crystals could get round as a mans head and long as a man was tall, but the thing she held was only about he size of a grown mans arm or leg. And the data floated off it like a hologram in the air. Pale purple eyes locked on the hooded mans unseen face. Seemingly glowing from within she smirked slightly. She was recognised by someone she did not recognise ?

"I'm not." He replied in response to her question. "I've already taken the liberty of ordering for us both. I think you'll like it." He said. At the moment, only Mark's signiture left Gauntlet was on his person. He didn't move as the crystal began to glow, and in response to her smirk, he only tilted his head.

"I'm surprised you're in town again. You've not been here for a long time." this was Kalda talking, using Mark's voice as a mask. "I'd of thought you'd be tending to Her." he said. Her? He meant a ship, or... someone else... Light? Possibly. Asaca would likely know. "Speaking of which... how is She? Still up North?" indeed, he spoke of a ship.

Slowly the rest of Mark's Armor glowed into view, and again he rapped his fingers on the glass, the claws clicking once more. In the far distance, Ulnaus screeched; making his usual rounds around the secure districts of the Kingdom.

She recognised the terminology he used, though he could mean either the Ship itself, or Mother, or maybe even both! But when he asked if she was still up north, the symbolds faded and winked out. "I dont know" She said simply. "The death of her captain the ship disappeared, I woke up in bed in the Crystal Courts of Light. I have not been on the 'Eagle since." She said truthfully. Asaca rembered only being told to go on leave by Kalda, when he went to face Kethend alone. So when she was in the Courts of Light on leave, Kalda fell, and the ship diasappeared, and Asaca was never summoned back to the ship, though Light named her her new Champion with the loss of Kaldakava.

Asaca though was different, she had captioned a ship of her own, but unlike Kalda, or herself when she was younger, Asaca chose instead to travel by land, not by air. With the way technology was moving however. that could help a lot with the traveling by air. " _She_ on the other hand... I was hoping you knew... No one has seen her in the Courts for a year or so now." She meant Light being among Mortals, living and working with Charity and Tiri, and now Diamond. Her pale eyes locked on where she felt his to be. "Where _Mother_ is... I cannot tell." If she so much as told where Kanwar was, well, Kanwar would nail her scales to a wall

The waiter came, and dropped off their food and drinks. "It's not Icewolf Meat, but it's close enough." Kalda spoke, using his own voice now before Mark began to eat his own food, a simple steak, some potatoes and rice, and then a pint of beer. He then lifted his pint to Asaca as his free hand moved to remove his hood and reveal his face.

"To reuniting with old friends." He said. Mark's eyes, now naturally ringed with Silver at the edges of his Irises, had the same piercing texture that Kalda had when he looked upon someone. If anything, Mark looked the same age as he did when had arrived in Arendelle. He aged, as the newer scars did fade, but it was slower in a sense, his connection with Kalda having slowed his body's aging slightly.

"So tell me, what are you doing in town again?" He asked, reverting back to Mark's voice again, as it was easier to maintain his presence.

Her gaze never left him as he spoke. Finally she said "I live here. Why would I not be in town ?" She speared some meat and some rice into a bowl before eating a bit before taking a sip of wine. "The question is,... Captain... what are _you_ doing in town ?" Sure there was a heavy Templar presence. Briefly her gaze caught the sight of a man in loud colored robes come into the dining market and order some meat and sunflower seeds. Her gaze went back to Mark.

She saw a tired look to him. Ok this was interesting. "What happened to you ?" the question sadly was going to go unanswered as a brief shouting match broke out not two tables away, As was her habit, Asaca listened calmly at what was said. One man accusing another, the man in loud clothing, of sleeping with his wife, to which the other man, in a loud almost nasal sounding shrill voice said something really rude.

Asaca smirked. Stupid nobles sometimes thought they were above the law... Wait what ? Her eyebrow raised slightly as she heard the loud dressed man speak something of keeping the cage door open every night. OK that was odd... only thing kept in cages that she could see in the kingdom were birds, parrots mostly.

"Those questions..." Mark answered, glancing towards the fighting men as he raised his hood again slowly as to not draw attention to himself. "Are best answered by me. I'm Mark, Kalda's reincarnation." he said. "I'm here to liberate the kingdom from Templar Influence." he said in a low voice, so he wasn't overheard. "As for what has happened..." he took a bite of steak and chewed slowly, the shouting match becoming more important.

"Also... a nearby district is set to be liberated today...I was going to do it alone; but since you're here...I might use some help." he said calmly. By now, Ulnaus was on his way to circle the district set to be liberated, by the time he reached it, Mark would have started his liberation. He had some time to kill.

Asaca was listening with half an ear as the two men, one loudly dressed in what had to be feathers on his robes, the other a normal looking Arendelle resident. were about to go to blows when another man stepped in and kept the two men apart, the third man was much larger than both other men. But it was the loud colored man who started it. Without warning, moving faster than even Asaca could follow, the feathered man slugged first the third man to arrive on the scene, then struck at the man who started shouting at him before heading for the window. When Mark made to move Asaca held her hand on his, and shook her head they'd find him later. She was sure of it.

"Yesterday two districts were... liberated as you call it. I and a friend were concerned of recent happenings in a district nearby. We snuck in, had some fun. Though dont ask me to dance as bait, we almost did it. We still might have to though." She mused thoughtfully. After a few moments of quiet she spoke again after taking another sip of wine. "Birds when threatened, find the nearest exit do they not ?" Asaca had recognised the loud dressed man, a Eagle tribe member from the Mythic Realm, hence the terminology the man used with the other, a mortal owning what he thought a normal parrot, turning out to be everything but normal parrot.

Mark 's eyes followed the Eagle Tribe member even after he left; his Eagle Vision helping him track the man for a bit before returning his gaze to Asaca. "If I was going to ask you to dance, I would have followed you in to a more rowdy tavern where dancing is more acceptable." Mark smirked. He took a swig of his beer and swallowed before nodding in answer to her question. "They always do. And they take the shortest route to their prey." Mark said calmly before letting out a small whistle and holding up a clawed finger.

A small jay landed on his finger and chirped back, Mark smiled as he whistled a few times before letting his tongue click on the roof of his mouth. The Jay tilted its head before chirping and flying off. "Why do you ask?" Mark asked, returning his hand to his mug of beer, his other hand remaining where it was when Asaca had touched it to stop him from going after the fleeing man.

Ulnaus screeched off in the distance again, growing closer to his destination.

Asaca smiled thinly and finished her meal before standing, her sword hilts he could see clearly seemingl sticking out of her left hip, like how a Samurai kept his twin Katana on either hip. Only, why were her blades pretty much stabbed into her skin ? That was the magic of Dragon weapons, they disapepared into harmless hilts when sheathed. "Walk with me... from sound of things, you have time... We both do" With that she left a shard of something, it glittered silver on the table before heading from the marketplace eatery to the road outside.

The streets were packed with people. And as the fleeing Eagle Tribe member soon disappeared into the crowd Asaca simply walked among the crowd as if not worried, in truth she did it every day and knew these crowds daily. Her and Kanwar both. After about three dozen paces she halted and held her hand out to prevent Mark from getting run over by Sven, who had Olaf on his back, they were chasing butterflies again. The two walked on to the next district. Asaca could barely see Ulnaus above. She halted just within the district border "The Toshalok District. I remember this place when it was first named..."

She knew exactly where the District core was, the Templar Captain controlling it was going to be a pain in the butt for sure, a brave and smart man, the tactical advantage to this district was that it was NOT easy to get to without getting scene. Unless one went from the air. But they'd have to go higher than rooftops. "This wont be easy," She mused, She focused inward and when she opened her eyes, her own version of Eagle Vision went active, the Dragon Vision was just as good, if not better than Eagle Vision. She counted too many men defending every access point. Well crud. Well, they could always get in by air!

She turned to Mark. A smirk on her face as her pale purple eyes glowed brilliant green as her Dragon Vision was active. "Care for a inflight meal ?" Now what did she mean by that ? She turned and lightly jumped off the ground to a nearby rooftop. Almost effortlessly scaling three floors to the rooftop without a sound. The purple and pink dressed woman had no armor that Mark could see, but then her dress also revealed possibly too much leg it was hard not to stare

Mark followed her until she jumped, raising his eyebrows. He was going to do something simlar...only not. He was just going to Transport Array into the core and do what he did best; kill everything calling itself a Templar. He sighed and with Kalda's help, jumped after Asaca, landing next to her with a thud on the roof. He kept low, using the darkening skies and shadows cast by the setting sun to hide, the dark colors of his cloak helping out as well. Using his Eagle Vision he scouted the area.

" _You may want to watch out._ " Kalda's voice rang out, making Mark turn to look at Asaca, seeing and sensing her magical presense growing astronomically. He backed up a bit and leaned against a wall. Meanwhile, he looked for the Captain.

With the sky growing dark as the sun began to set, Asaca smiled, She crouched low then sprang upwards with a blast of power straight into the air and purple smoke swirld around her and grew in size as she transformed into a massive purple dragon, Quiet possibly a Kajiu sized creature if Mark's math was right, which it wasnt, she was about half that size, at best. Hovering over Mark she lightly landed on the rooftop, her massive draconic face staring at him. "Care for a lift ?" She held out a wing towards him to climb on As she turned around without a sound to get back into the air again.

With Ulnaus also in the air, this might be tricky, than again he did zone in on the captain already. "I think he found him" He being Uknaus, and him being the captain they were after. "Come on, You take the captain, I'll take the party favors down below. ready ?" She pushed off from the rooftop and hovered a moment waiting for Mark to get on before moving to let him drop on the captain, literally

With a emsense downdraft of air the purple dragon slammed into the courtyard of the Templar stronghold. Ahhh what fun it was to be in her true form for once! Asaca used her tail like a whip and sent many Templars crashing into each other, through walls, into fires,. She started a few fires, and burnt a few alive, Evil had to be purged!

Mark hesitantly climbed onto her and then moved to drop in on the captain, spotting a weakspot in the roof of the office he was in, Mark dropped off Asaca like a sack of bricks and slamed through it, hard, and land on the otherside. He drew his sword, the arc of his unsheathing slashing one of the guards acros the neck, while Mark stood and shifted his weight back as another guard rushed him, dipping his claws into the man's gut as he moved his head out of the way of a downward slash, the sword bouncing off his shoulder armor. Mark pulled the man in and slammed his forehead against his nose before grunting as he pushed his claws furhter into the man's body, feeling his spine in his palm, and with a Draconian Snarl, snapping it with a squeeze of his hand and a twist. He retracted his hand and opened it, dropping the section of spine to the ground while looking at the cornered Captain and his remaining two guards on the other side of the room.

Mark was quick to draw his Desert Eagle into his spare hand, the mess he caused having fallen off the sleek metal of his claws long after he dropped the peice of spine. He smiled and with his teeth, pulled the slide back before charging. The two guards met him in the center of the room. Mark's sword clashed with one of theirs, and his elbow with the other's sword, the metals clanging together as they moved. Mark's stance widened and he moved his sword arm back before pulling the trigger.

 ** _Bang!_**

The .50 Calibur round tore the man's arm clean while Mark then twisted his body to face the second guard, moving his right leg to slam into the disarmed guard's femur, shattering it. As the man fell, Mark brought his sword up to slice clean through his neck and then lock with the second guard, who grunted with effort. Mark's Desert Eagle barrel was on the man's lower jaw, between his mandables when he silenced his screams with another pull of his trigger. The man fell, and Mark smiled, his nostrils flaring to smell the fumes of the hot barrel before holstering the weapon.

"Well done!" The Captain said, slow clapping sarcastically. He was, like Mark, armored from head to toe, albeit inot/i in Duradaeden. However his armor was otherwise a direct match. Mark chuckled at that, sheathing his sword.

"Come then, copy-cat Captain of the Templars. Let us see whose armor is better." Mark assumed a fighting stance akin to eastern Tiger-Style, his claws out instead of fists up. The captain again imitated.

They began, the Captain faster than Mark as he gauged the Captain's limits before counterattacking by kicking the man's kneecap directly, sending him back in a stumble, and slowing him.

Mark's slashes and scratches were mostly blocked, as if it were a battle between Masters, before Mark closed his fists and resorted to more Western styles of fighting. The man didn't notice until Mark's fist collided with his chest, the force penetrating the armor and breaking his ribs. He paused, and Mark continued hammering him until he had him in a corner, multiple ribs broken, knee cap shattered, jaw dislocated, manhood in his throat, and for some reason a boot missing.

"Too bad; you had me excited there for a moment." Mark said, pulling his Desert Eagle out again and holding it tight, thumb flicking the safety off once more before lowering it to the man's forehead, and pulling the trigger.

After looting the corpses, going through the desk for anything important, and then lighting the room on fire, he walked outside, and noted the useless gang-up on Asaca's massive Dragon form, weapons bouncing off her beautiful purple scales before he chuckled, and then turned to climb the tower itself.

In the courtyard was complete bedlam as the massive purple dragon, which in the setting sunlight looked black as midnight, just wrecked the place, Bodies were everywhere of dead and dying, and possibly still alive folk. a group of Templars attempted to gang up on her at once from the front while the rest went to her backside, it didnt work. She built up power, and in the darkness a flash of extremely golden light exploded from her mouth with a sound of harps going off quiet beautiful when one thought about it. Asaca didnt roar. In that kingdom, a roar made anyone nervous.

Finally with only one guy left who turned tail and bolted, he didnt get far as the downdraft of her wings tripped him up, and reenforcements came pouring in as Mark cimbed the tower to set the signal fire. Perfect. With a swirl of air and a swat of her tail, Asaca sent Templars flying before finally settling and the courtyard was cleared. In the darkness a thick purple mist enveloped the courtyard which shrank in size as Asaca was seen as a human once again, she dusted off her hands. long fingerless 'gloves' that went up her dress sleeves were seen.

But she missed a Templar. Out of nowhere the guy acting dead snuck onto his feet and snuck on her. st the very last second she caught he guy's weapon as he dropped off a balcony onto her. His weight drove her to a knee, the stone pavement below her cracked on contact as both her fists halted the mans weapon a hair from slamming into her nose. She spit in his face, the man screamed, not in pain but in rage and started swinging blindly as she easily kicked his legs out from under him before slitting his throat with a fingernail. She then bit said nail muttering something about a hangnail again.

She looked up as she saw Mark on the viewpoint, the courtyard was clear, set it alight! A few moments later and the district was cleared, but where Asaca had gone Mark had no idea

 **Arendelle**

 **Castle Ice Rink Courtyard**

 **A few moments later**

With Asaca suddenly gone from the Toshalok District that left Mark wondering where she had gone off to. thankfully he found himself wandering back to the Castle and once int he courtyard her words made him wonder about not trusting the birds as he used to, some of them were not what they seemed. The man in loud colors at the marketplace eatery they had dinner at for ecxample, Asaca had recognised the Parrot Enclave member as a member of the Eagle Tribe, nothing more. But it was the mere mention of the Eagle Tribe that made him wonder. So naturally he went to the only place he could think of that had any information on it, Elsas mothers library

Though it was strange, there were none in Arendelle in such loud colors like that man had been dressed in. He didnt recognise him as anyone other than a visitor or merchant to Arendelle. And normally Mark was ontop of everything when it came to visiting merchants, they was always an up to date list of merchants in the kingdom,, and this loud dressed man from apparently his neck of the woods of Egypt, had somehow just appeared out of thin air, the other man, a mortal man and resident of Arendelle though seemed pissed off that his parrot had seen and learned things, blackmail no doubt.

But in truth the purple and pink dressed woman had gone after the Parrot she recognised. It was not often members of the Eagle Tribe ever left the Mythic Realm to begin with. So she had gone after the Parrot, and soon found him easily. OInce she had captured him she all but forced him to the Arendelle Dungeons Without help from guards or anything they apparently recognised her authority as a member of an elite unit of the Brotherhood thanks to her outfit and skills She dragged the Parrot into the dungeon. the way to it wasnt easy "I aint done anything" Came the shrill high pitched voice of the loudly dressed and befeathered male

"Save me the bullshit, Parrot" Asaca growled, her scaled hand pushed him along.

He stumbled into the entry room just outside the torture room and stopped "This is harassment!" The bird said turning to her, only to get smacked, hard by the scaled fist. The parrot wipped aside, spitting out broken teeth he turned to the Light Dragon in anger "That hurt!"

"There is more where it came from, get walking" Asaca growled

"Make me" The parrot said sticking his tongue out at her with his hands on his hips

Wrong move

The gate to the torture room opened and he sailed into the dungeons torture room, landing in a heap after giving off a sudden squak of complete loss of personal space and dignity as Asaca pretty much dropkicked the jerk dead into the rack with a crash and pained squak. Without another word bindings of pure light held the Parrot fast to the rack. Asaca wanted information now, and this was her only means to get it.

Asaca then moved to stand with her back to the door, behind the rack holding the Parrot. "Now... little birdy, you are going to give us some answers, or you become tonights midnight snack" She said simply, her tone a dead giveaway, she spoke the truth

Following the squawking and confused looks on guards' faces, Mark entered the dungeons without a sound, the Guards standing a little more at attention in his presence as his boots hit the ground. Letting his eyes adjust to the dimmer light of the dungeons, Mark continued onwards, followign the noises. He arrived to see the Parrot stick his tongue out at Asaca. Personally, he would have upper-cutted the jaw, and make the man bite his own tongue off. But then, if one wanted info, that wasn't a good idea.

Watching from the other side of the window of the room leading to the torture room, Mark crossed his arms over his broad chest, his armor glowing dimly, filling the room with an eerie bronze light. He only wished he brought popcorn.

The Parrot briefly stuggled in the viselike grip of the strange etheral bindings of light. Powerful light magic at work for sure. "It is not every day that a member of the Eagle Empire, is in the Mortal Realm without good reason." Asaca said, her back to the Parrot. the man smirked

"Like I'd tell you, The All-Mother's former Champion, was it ?" Asaca growled, snapping her gaze towards the eagle, Mark could briefly see purple scales wash over her face before fading to fair human skin as she stepped closer to the Parrot..

"What was that ?" Asaca asked

"The All-Mother had a Champion, Everyone knows he died in combat, in this realm. We mourned him sure, but now. You're still around, and stronger than he was! So now here is little me being tortured by you, the big bad Champion of the All-Mother. How's it feel being iHer/i Champion again ?" The Parrot said, his whiny voice seemed more in control and not as shrill or terrified. Sure he'd just lost any form of whatever he had in terms of diginty when Asaca picked his ass up and dropkicked in clear into the torture room as if going for a field goal.

Asaca set a hand on the the rack near the Parrots head, looking directly at him as he laid there. A dark smirk on her face as her magic went to work. "Do not test me, Parrot. What does the Enclave want with Arendelle ?"

"Well for one thing, its better than the City of Talons, way too many stuffed up birds there let me tell you." The parrot said. partly truth, mostly lie. But at least he was talking

" _Whoop there she went._ " Kalda chuckled. At Mark's puzzled grunt, he went on. " _She's using her magic to basically read his mind; those thoughts that you thought were only to yourself? Yea, she can get to those. That's what she's doing right now to this poor bird. I would have strapped to some of the guns of the Silver Eagle to see how he liked it...but then he'd likely die._ " Kalda explained, shrugging.

Mark blinked slowly before opening the door and entering the room; his presence, **two** Champions of Light in the same room, aught to help, he figured; since this Parrot would likely see him as Kalda. "It would be wise to Speak, Parrot." Mark said, using Kalda's voice to add to the effect.

By that point the Parrot shut up and was visibly sweating as Asaca used her magic. her hand inches from the birds head, the bird grunted, most Parrots, the higher ups and leadership caste of the Enclave within the Eagle Empire, were very good at keeping their thoughts hidden from others. Hence their ability to blackmail, Sadly this guy was low ranking, one of the lowest ranked nobles in fact. as Asaca pulled her hand away and withdrew her power from the Parrot the bird grunted and his head thunked back against the rack. At least he wasnt getting stretched. Yet.

When her power left him the bird grunted, And upon seeing Mark, or rather Kaldakava enter the room, he started laughing. "Whooo, man I thought you were dead! Hey lady with the really grabby hands and hard foot, whats it like being suddenly depos... OW HEY THAT HURT!" The Parrot's jovial tone went to one of extreme sudden pain as Asaca backhanded him, thankfully not with her scales. This bird didnt know when to shut it.

Asaca started pacing. This sucked. Speaking in Draconian she said to Kalda " _jaci ui ti wer ergriff ir tenpiswo, nakta vin sauriv shafaer wer schakriri persvek wer biwheg svadrav elsa convines astahi earenk nakit. ir fogahral di astahi tepohaic vi bird ihk vi lincesa. mrith apzen si shilta wyoga astahi vur montu astahi ekik ekess wux mrith sia arcaniss. jaci apparently wants ekess move tenpiswo though. jaci ui|ulph harmless shafaer jacida kurjh. shar mobi re lyriki hefoc jacion_ {He is not the only one here, keep an eye on the nobles in the council when Elsa convines them tomorrow morning. One third of them has a bird for a pet. With luck I can locate them and point them out to you with my magic. He apparently wants to move here though. he's harmless on his own. But there are others like him}" Oh sure, he remembered Kalda, and most of the Eagle Empire didnt like him, especially the Eagle King's brother and son at the time. Though Asaca had to smile, the current Eagle king, Tilr's daughter, Princess Fang had just been born when Asaca first arrived in Arendelle shortly before Elsa was born

Mark grunted in response to Asaca's words, and nodded, Kalda translating for him before taking over briefly to respond, like-wise in Draconian. "Very well... I'll have my turn with him now, then." And with that he let Mark take over again, and he stood in front of the Parrot, drawing a series of throwing knives from various places around his body before beginning to juggle them. Sort of. He wasn't completely juggling them, merely, attempting to, it wasn't pretty, and ended with him catching them all in between his fingers, the blades pointing outwards so that the blade wouldn't reach one of very few weak spot in his armor. He cocked his arm and let loose a knife, the thing landing a millimeter away from the Parrot's ear.

"Who are our friends in the Council of Nobles?" Mark asked simply.

The Parrot stared at the knife as it lodged so close to his nose in the rack. He swallowed carefully then figured, heck with it, free stay anyhow. He rattled off a list, of the twenty seven nobles on the lower council, only seven of them had a parrot of some kind, all of which were from the Parrot Enclave. Then he rattled off a second list of names, with the High Council members list having fourteen members having a higher ranked Parrot Enclave member as a pet. For one thing, the parrot said, it was easier to be a pet for a mortal than to live on ones own. "Besides, its not like we have any designs on Arendelle, we're tropical birds at heart ya know. But I gotta admit, the free board, nice warm house, and then the crackers on principle is good incentive."

But that did nothing to explain his presence in the marketplace eating area. that afternoon. to which Asaca growled, of the full council that was to convine the next morning, a third of them had a Parrot for a pet. Wonderful. Now the Enclave, one of the few groups she never trusted, made her distrust royalty appointed councils. Wonderful.

Another knife, this time close to the other ear. "If you are tropical birds, then why Arendelle? This is the least tropical god damned place on the planet inhabited by humans besides Siberia. So tell me, before my aim is altered by my allergy to liars." Another two knives were let loose, a literal hair's width from either side of his neck.

"Hey!" The parrot said, more like screeched, "I only just arrived here! I'm only doing as told, get a nice home, get a roof over my head, none of the higher ups told me anything I swear!" His voice shrill, he spoke rapidly, naming off three of the higher ranked Parrots. Out of nowhere the light bindings faded and he fell off the rack as Asaca pulled him to his feet.

"What is the Enclaves plan ?" Asaca asked simply once he regained his footing

The parrot looked between her, her hand dangerously close to his head, and then back to Mark, who had another knife ready to throw. Sweat beaded on his head, finally he said simply. "The Eagle Princess, Fang. The Parrot Enclave is trying to get her out of an arranged marraige with the Sparrow Flock she never wanted part of. That's why we're here. She wants a mortal man, here, from this city." he said

Asaca grunted and looked to Mark, a simple nod, the parrot spoke the truth. Apparently the Enclave wanted to be of help, but they had other plans as well. But then, was Fang going to come there ? From what Asaca remembered, Princess Fang was born before she herself left the Mythic Realm to live in Arendelle with Kanwar to keep watch on the reborn Xeir Zith from afar, so that meant that Princess Fang was an adult now. But was Fang planning on moving from the Mythic Realm to the Mortal Realm ?

Mark motioned for Asaca to lower the man so he could stand on his own, and holstered his remaining knives before trailing the sharp claws of his gauntlet around the Parrot's neck; were Mark a woman, this gesture would be more alluring, as his claws traced along the underside of the bird's jaw, pressing down just hard enough to scratch but not break the skin; which with how sharp those claws were, wasn't hard at all, about the force required to hold an egg with a brittle shell.

"I want more information. On every Enclave member on Arendelle. I want their names, their ranks, their specific bird species, what they had for dinner on the fourth of August, and when the last time they got laid was." Mark spoke, his hand then quickly cupping the man's face, thum on one cheek and fingers on the other, claws now beaking skin and blood trickling lightly down the bird's cheeks.

"Then I want to see them...You being lower ranking, you don't know as much as you could...a pity. But you will do as told, and report back to this room in a weeks time, understood?" Mark's tone dropped, and his grip tightened again. At the subtle nod, he relaxed and smiled. "Good; because if my info isn't here in a week, I will find you, and my claws will be meeting each other in the middle of your tongue." he said, cupping the parrot's chin and then smacking him gently as if teasing him. Which he was. Mark was playing with the man, but was entirely serious while doing so.

He Spoke in Draconian to Asaca again. "I'll personally oversee the Council meeting along with Elsa tomorrow; would you join me? Your eyes are more experienced at spotting our feathered friends." He said, releasing the Parrot before swiftly spinning and launching a kick to his gut, knocking all the wind out of his body before calling for two guards to drag him out of the dungeons and dump him somewhere discreet.

Asaca watched as Kalda, her former Captain, acted the part rather well, talking with a prisoner was one thing, getting information, quite another. The information she had retrived however could only be so much. At least they had names, and now they'd get more. Asaca smirked. "The Parrot Enclave is a massive group in the City of Talons.. Why they would help the Royal Family is beyond me when last I knew they hated the royal family. But then, Princess Fang is a Eagle, not a sparrow. She'd accidently eat them for lunch on her own!"

She went throughful as Mark proposed the plan to join him and Elsa at council the next afternoon. "Possible, But I do not want to risk confrontation with any of the nobles here, it is bad enough I barely got my home and keep the nobles I bought it from from taking it back as it is." Kanwar had a house, a dojo actually, in the Yaeko District, she and Asaca lived there together. "I will think on the offer, I will send you notice on my choice before bed. I will send a dove if I am coming to join you and the Queen in council, or a raven if I cannot. Agreed ?"

Mark nodded with a grunt, and placed a hand on Asaca's shoulder, giving her a firm pat before nodding and leaving the dungeons. It was time for dinner with Elsa.

As he neared the door Asaca called out to him. "Captain, Hold onto this" She threw something to him, on white leather, it was her seal as Lights Champion, "I'll be back for it."

 **Mythic realm**

 **The Courts of Light**

 **Time unknown**

Time did not tarry in the Mythic realm, hell, time didnt even go there or even attempt to keep track of the long seemingly neverending years and even longer beautiful seasons. Lights massive castle was pretty much a mountain of glass, crystal, ice and white sand. It towered three milies into the sky alone, yet, it felt no different than being at ground level when at the top. The crystal tower, carved as if from nothing more but Crystal alone. At the top of the massive crystal tower waas a wrap around balconey of a sort. It was on this balconey where two people spoke.

One of those people wore a golden lightly jeweled dress, her crown of silver and white sapphires glittered as it caught the rising sunlight. Light stood at the balconey edge. her tall stature simply stood there, watching the sunrise. A massive silver eagle, easily twice the size of Ulnaus alone flew into her field of view before coming to a light landing, The Eagle Emperor, known simply as Tilr, stood regal with a slight bow towards Light, "Mother-Dragon, it is an honor to receive your summons" he said

Light did not turn to face the Emperor, but smiled at his presence; his was not unwelcome. "Tilr, good of you to come on such a short notice. Before we begin; would you like to take a guess as to why I summoned you?" She asked softly.

"I dare not attempt it All-Mother." Tilr said simply, his tone had a upbeat ring to it and he himself always was in a good mood, though a bad mood was also possible. "Pray tell, why did you send for me ? is it because...well... The Aaetherspace barrier growing weak ?"

"You're partially right. You're familiar with my daughter, Xeir Zith?" she asked, glancing to the bird before turning to head inside. "She's waking up...And as she grows in power, the Aetherspace barrier weakens." She explained calmly, moving to a comfortable sitting chair and sitting upon it, crossing her legs at the knees and leaning back comfortably.

"However, the pace at which she regains her power is troubling me. I want your daughter to go and help her return to full power." she said, staring the Eagle in the eye, her tone, though light and pleasant, was dead serious.

At the mention of Xeir Zith the mood seemed to darken briefly, The news had reached every empire in the Realm; the loss of the child of Light hit evreyone hard. Fang and Diamond most of all as they were all three very good friends. "I still do not believe that she has been reborn, in the Mortal Realm no less." He said softly as he watched the sun come up. For a long moment he was quiet, the last ime he had seen Xeir Zith was only days before Kethend ambushed her

He put his hands behind his back, turning from the sunrise he spoke. "The Aaetherspace barrier weakens daily. My own soldiers can barely hold a tide of darkness at bay for so long." he nodded. "Fang is a capable woman, she may be only twenty seven years old in Mortal Time, but she is strong, and can hold her own in a fight rather well." He was confused. "But of magical power she only psosesses what all Eagles do. the ability ot transform into an Eagle, or human likeness. It comes natural, I am unsure of any other magics she may have."

Princess Fang was Tilr's older child, her younger brother Prince Talon was still a VERY small bird, with barely any feathers on his wings, so to speak. Fang had been besting all her teachers in combat, which was why she went to Lights Court to train more there under kanwar, then Kanwar disappeared shortly after Diamond did. Leaving the Eagle Princess with out anyone she could fully trust outside of Light or her father.

Light smiled. "That's not why I want her to go to Arendelle. I want her to help Xeir's human form in ridding her home of a rather annoying... pest. She has help from a sort of... quarter-breed boy who happens to also be my Champion reborn. He is quite... strange, but he needs help doing his job. Else I fear he won't be done finding his own destiny for many years to come." she said calmly.

"As for the Aaetherspace, I wouldn't worry too much about that for now; while it is true that Draco's soul still wanders the realms in search of his Queen, there is no way he himself can get her out. He doesn't even know where the Aaetherspace is, the poor boy." she explained, fanning herself gently with a hand for a moment before standing before the man, towering over him even as he stood at full height.

"Do we have an agreement?"

"Draco wanders freely ? I heard you sealed him away ?" It was confusing to say in the least; the mere thought of Draco, when sealed away, his soul torn from his body, was still wandering without his body. And to send Fang to help Xeir Zith regain her true strength. he nodded. "We do, I shall send Fang on her task at once. When she arrives, who is she to seek ? Is she to seek someone ?"

A small Sparrow was seen flying like hell was behind it as it alighted near Tilr and Light, dropping to one knee the Sparrow spoke, "All-Mother, Emperor Tilr, The parrots have been sighted in the Mortal Realm in key cities, one of them is where Champion Asaca resides; A Swallow informed us of this visitor" The Sparrow relayed everything the Swallow had told him after the swallow had observed by chance alone of one of the Parrot Enclave members getting uncerimoniously dropped on a few beer kegs outside a bar in Arendelle by the Royal Guard

Tilr thought a brief moment, "Send word to Princess Fang, she is speak to the Swallow who informed you, the Swallow is to leave nothing out of what they know in news to her. she need only to take what she will require in terms of personal survival, she is to find the Lady Xeir Zith, or the Lady Asaca, If she is lucky in finding either Kanwar is with one of them. I hope" Fang always spoke highly of Kanwar and her teaching from the Light Dragon in all forms of combat. The Sparrow bowed deeply and flew off. Though the news the Sparrow brought was... unnerving... "What would the Parrot Enclave want with Arendelle ?" The Parrot Enclave resided in the rainforest areas of the Eagle Empire. Rarely where they in the cities

Light was silent through the exchange, and sat back down slowly, nodding to the Sparrow. "I think your dear Parrots are up to something with good intentions, but the wrong way of going about them..." she was staring off into the distance. "Fang's mission will be as follows; find out what members of the Parrot Enclave are doing in Arendelle, and it is to help the queen rid the kingdom of Templars, she is to make sure they do it correctly, working with those in hoods. She is also to become one of the hooded men and women." She said.

"Mortals are creative when it comes to fighting; she will learn much there I think. Particularly from the higher ranking hooded ones...they seem to hold the most creativity when it comes to fighting and killing...Now then, if you've any more questions, speak them, it's almost time for lunch I believe." she said.

Tilr nodded and raised a hand, two fingers were held up, he lowered one, "One question was answered before I even asked it, but one still remains unasked and unanswered" he said. He lowered his hand, "You mentioned a quarter-breed. Your Champion reborn ? Kaldakava I assume ? How can he be a quarter-breed ? He is a Silver is he not ? Even when reborn ?" Sure Diamond was a full reborn dragon, only it took her twenty seven years to manifest. "This wont have anything to do with one of those Hooded Ones with a mastery of our feathered friends now will it ?" Ok so it was more like half a dozen questions instead of two, but they were all good questions

Including the last one. "Would you mind if I join you ?" There was a map within the main throne room made of light that floated in the air, it showed the kingdom of Arendelle in various colors for each district.

She nodded. "Yes, Kalda. Quarter Human, Quarter Tigris, Quarter Eagle, and now that Kalda's awoken, Quarter Dragon. He's a mess, but...it gives him a sort of flare that people like. As for whether or not Fang will encounter the hooded one known as Mark Wolfe, there is a distinct possibility. He and Kalda do share the same body, and is currently one of the more prevelant hooded ones in Arendelle at the moment." She answered swiftly. At the question of if he could join her, she nodded, and gestured to the door.

The two moved into the throne room where a table had been set up with food for the day. As they walked, Tilr mused over the words. "Quarter Human, quarter Tigris, quarter Eagle, and now, quarter Dragon. Your champion makes a body for himself quite strangely I must admit. Kaldakava, Fang has only read about him, she has never met him in person, though she has often dreamed of meeting him as a mere hatching." He said as they sat at the table. "Either way, the Swallows have means of getting information, both discreet, and polite means. Fang will get her information when she arrives in the kingdom." Little did either of them know exactly just how Fang was going to meet Mark the next morning. "Wether the Parrots know it or not, they're being watched."

 **Arendelle**

 **Roughwater District**

 **Roughwater Assassin Den**

 **Dusk**

Georgina sat at the desk, for once in the last year alone she was writing a letter. A letter destined for home. As much as she hated to write it, she had to write it, elseways her mother would never have the contact she wanted. Georgina knew that Car Key could do amazing things with a tool like Google and CNAR Searches. As much as she didnt want to contact her mother, Georgina wanted to do just that. It was a long time in coming, but her letter was simple and to the point.

 **Letter to Empress Luna from Princess Yei Jia Jia, translated from original**

 _Dear Mother_

 _I must thank Agent Key of the United States Centeral Intelligence Agency for informing me of your wanting to contact me. I would have contacted you sooner. Had I the chance to contyact youm our settlement here in Arendelle was for the most part, not easy as hoped. Things have changed here, They are here. We had our home for barely a year before it, and Yang, was taken from us, Yang fell defending me from them. But it was their queen who rescued me, and returned the keys to my home to me. Yang is lost to us, slain in the street, but with a proper burial he rests peacefully now._

 _I miss him daily, seeing his smiling proud face light up a room, He would have made a wonderful Prince. But alas it is not to be_

 _Mother, I was scared to write to you, to inform you of the loss of your heir, the only one you found suitible to take the throne when his time came. I only wish it were possible for me to produce another heir, but ewith my husband slain by them as well, I fear there is no chance for us to liberate China from them. Mother, what should I do ? There is one here who does not have an heir and fears he is the last of his clan, If I were to produce an heir, would the child be for his family, or for ours ?_

 _Mother I await your reply, I miss you and papa dearly._

 _Yours as ever_

 _Yei Jia Jia_

 _PS: Send my regards to the Captain of the Guard Shendir,_

 **Letter to Princess Yei Jia Jia from Empress Luna translated from orirginal**

 _My dearest daughter_

 _I am happy to hear your voice through your letter, though it saddens me that my grandson has been lost to them after all. there was nothing we could do. We could only forstall fate. What is done is done, there is no hate or wrongdoing on your part, I do not lay any blame upon you nor do your siblings or your father, if you wish it we will send a contigent of troops to support you and the Brotherhood within Arendelle. these soldiers you chose are strong good men, and follow only your orders, which we currently give in your name._

 _My dear child, please do not despair, fate will provide for you just as she provided you with your husband and son. Soon we will see each other again. Please contact me directly when you are able to provide news further of an heir, and do not worry, the servants miss you as does the Captain, he recalls your growing up quite well. He misses you as we all do_

 _The loss of Yang grieves us all, but t is hope for the future that brings smiles to our faces. Please do not worry sweet one, soon Fate will have a say. Be it for good or for ill, we must wait and see what fate has instore for us._

 _Yours as ever_

 _Mama_

Georgina upon getting the letter smiled and put it away, and quickly wrote up another, thanking her mother for the prompt response, the soldeirs were to be sent, a full contigent, about eleven hundred soldiers, all under her command back home, sent to Arendelle to help the Brotherhood. Wont Mark be surprised about that!

 **Arendelle**

 **That same night**

 **Full dark**

As darkness took Arendelle a massive Silver Eagle alighted atop the pennecle of the Castle; she preened her feathers for a moment before the darkness washed over the kingdom; the simple darkness of sleep. Without a sound the beautiful bird lifted from the rooftop of the castle and flew to the courtyard, as she alighted, a smoke seemed to fade through her body and a woman dressed in silver and black robes woven with silver armor stood in the dark courtyard. It was time to see if an old friend was indeed alive

 **Memory Sync Verified, Sequence 8 Completed**


	35. Seqeunce 9 Memory 1

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 **Seqeunce 9**

 **Memory 1 How To Succeed In The Family Business Without Really Trying**

" _If your battle plan is working, its a trap_ "

 **\- Flowerfist the Fair after being ambushed by Precoursors 12 years before Arendelle Founding**

 **14 Feburary 2052**

 **Arendelle**

 **unknown District**

 **Sunrise**

Taris paced outside her fathers study, her heart was hammering, she had learned news from the Shadowlings, her fathers most trusted soldiers. News of her mother, Kethend, and where she had been all these years. Almost a hundred years Kethend had been gone, trapped apparently, in a place called Aaetherspace. But now, thanks to the Shadowlings, and the Parrot Eclave, Taris had information, and none of her siblings knew it yet!

This was sure to put her in good with her father. She hoped he'd be in a good mood after getting the information. At least, she hoped. But she didnt know just how good of in her fathers faver this news was going to put her. She was looking forwards to a hearty breakfast for once though. Taris took a deep breath and knocked twice on her fathers study door. At his word to enter she did so, her fathers highbacked chair was watching out the window at the sunrise, not that he liked the beauty in it, but sometimes, just simple meditation on what Kethend enjoyed, sunrises were her favorite thing in the morning, watching the sun burn away the morning dew

Taris stepped into the study and closed the door then stepped up to her fathers desk and dropped to her knees, eyes averted to the floor, Because she was the runt of the five children, Taris had learned the hard way to never look directly at her father unless he said to do so. She did however speak "Papa,... I... It... It concerns Momma..." She started to say. She faltered, she had no idea how to tell him the good news, they knew where Kethend was!

Or rather, _Taris knew_ where her mother was! Thanks to the Shadowlings, and her overhearing them. Not even her brother knew, hell, her elder twin sisters were still BEDRIDDEN and she found this info simply by being ignored by the Shadowlings. They never did listen to her or speak to her much, but now they would!

There was an uncomfortable silence as Draco blinked slowly, for a moment, letting himself feel the warmth of the sunlight upon his distorted face before putting the illusion back, and losing all feeling once more. He turned his chair. "Rise and look at me, child...now speak." He leaned forward, his usually stern face soft for once; perhaps it was the sunlight and memories of his beloved that softened his tone. The normally booming, marrow-shaking voice was gentle and soft, almost whole.

"Do you know where your Mother is?" He asked her

Taris stood as instructed, looking directly at her father she forced herself to stay calm and not flinch. she was expecting her fathers wrath, but, him being gentle wasnt expected and it scared her. "Yes" She said simply. "Momma is in a place called Aaetherspace, body and soul." She was scared, he'd want to know how she had come across that information even before her brother and sisters! So she said once again, keeping herself calm, "The Shadowlings you sent to search the Mythic Realm, they ignored me like they always do, and I overheard them speaking in the foyer downstairs, they were arguing over who to tell you the news of where Momma is. So I chose to tell you, and since they ignored me and didnt really look my way nor care that I overheard..." Oh it was the pits for those four for sure! She never took her eyes off her father, now heart hammering so loud she was sure he could hear it but she forced herself not to look away until he told her to do so.

Again there was an uncomfortable silence for a few seconds while Draco processed what he had just heard, his eyes visibly zoning out, and a shaky breath being let out as he was flooded with memories of his love. The idea of her being within reach again, he felt warmth inside again. Slowly his lips peeled back into a genuine smile, and he stood, phasing through his desk to embrace his smallest daughter in a hug. "Well done, Taris, Daughter of Kethend, Pride of Draco." He gave her a new title, and kissed her forehead before smiling and stepping back letting her process what had happened for a moment.

"You deserve a gift... one worthy of your news..." he spun around and thought for a second before smiling again, turning to look at her over his shoulder. "How proficient are you with your Shadow magic?" He asked her, his voice a little sterner now, wanting an honest answer fast.

Taris was stunned, her mouth hung open as her father took her into a tight hug. Then placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. How to react and not be a dork was going through her head nine different ways before he seemed to sober up and she closed her mouth. iPride of Draco/i Did her father just give her a title ? Yup

She scrambled mentally very briefly for a proper answer and not look a total fool before saying quite truthfully. "Whenver I can I practise with it, Papa, I never stop. It is as strong as I can make it, but its not strong enough to outlast my brother or sisters. But Momma taught me too. I can be sneaky." She took after both her parents, her mother taught her how to be sneaky, and her father taught her, well briefly, her shadow magic. So her strengths came from both her parents. Sneaky Shadows were a good thing. A very good thing

He considered her words for a moment before turning. "Form an independant shadow on the ground beside you. One with no body." he said calmly, hands behind his back, watching his daughter. "Now; give it a body; it doesn't matter what it looks like-Male, female, skinny, fat, muscular, whatever." he watched again, smiling once she'd done as told. "Now; bring it to life. Form a ball in your left hand, and place it into the shadow's heart. Slowly." he instructed. Once she was done he smiled wider. "Now; breathe life into it; use your Shadowfire. Blast it as hard as you can."

Taris did exactly as her father instructed, word for word, leaving nothing out. Until he sdaid to use her Shadowfire. In her fathers study ? Was he serious ? But seeing his calm demanur look as he watched her she nodded. And with a very deadly gout of shadowfire brought her own Shadowling to life, a tall almost rail thin creature dressed in black and dark red, no medals to speak of, yet like her fathers Shadowlings, but she'd worry about that later. She stared as her Shadowling came to life. her father had given her a gift, He taught her personally on how to make her own Shadowlings ? Ontop of that a new title, and he hugged her.

And all she did was overhear and get ignored by her fathers own Shadowlings. they always looked down on her, heck even her brother, Jr, looked down on her, at least when he was in his growth spirt phase long ago she picked on him. He looked so goofy then, but he didnt have his own Shadowlings yet now did he ? Nope.

She turned to her father. Once again unless told otherwise she remained standing. "What will you have me do Papa ?" She asked him

"Give him a name, tell him his purpose in life." he said as the creature knelt before Taris. Draco chuckled. His own first Shadowling looked similar; his name Winston. He could be seen wandering the corridors at his leisure, delivering treats and goodies to Draco's children as if they were still hatchlings. Winston was their caretaker when they were but hatchlings; as he was gentle and kind, unlike the other Shadowlings Draco had made.

As of this moment, he was applying more healing wraps to Sutri and Nasty, soothing them with his whispering voice and gentle touch. He didn't have any medals, himself, but then, he did have a very nice ring, one that Draco gave him personally when he became the family care-taker.

It wasnt easy, a name for her first Shadowling, as she got stronger in her Shadowmagic she could make more, but she wasnt going to worry about that just yet. She just made her first one, and could wait a bit. But a name was an important thing. her mother had taught her that. A name defined a person, who they were and what they did, why they did it as well. To her mother she wasnt just Taris, she was her mothers last child, but she was the first named so said her fathers first shadowling Winston. Taris was the first to be named, but apparently nearly didnt hatch had it not been for her father waking her up inside the egg with his voice

But a name was important, It wasnt something she could just whip up out of the blue, and when her Shadowling dropped to one knee before her she had to really think. what could she name her first shadowling that couldf both inspire fear of herself, and her parents, her linage as a whole ? Finally she spoke after a long moment, the shadowy creature had gained a bit of weight, wasnt as thin, more muscluar, "Zendu" She said. cobalt eyes lit up at the name placed upon the shadowy creature, Taris' first Shadowling, not entirely a servant, but he could help her get shit done that was for sure. She also had one of her fathers older {and much dumber} Kobolds, Fluffy... who was somewhere in the massive house

"Good... now his purpose. Tell him. What is his purpose in life." Draco said, moving to sit down again as he phased through his desk. Zendu's cobalt eyes stared up at Taris, but they were empty and lifeless still; waiting.

Taris turned as Zendu looked directly at her, she faced her creation directly. "To serve the Shadows that created him, To seek means to follow the orders given, to improvise, spy, learn. But above all, to serve the Shadows that birth him." She said simply. She meant her shadows, after all her magic had brought him to life. She now had a means to wreck what the Enemy had built!

But then there was also her brother to worry about. Wont that be fun. Speak of the devil, there was a sharp knock at the door, one she recognised, Oh shit.

Draco smiled, Zendu nodded before standing, and finally speaking, his voice weak and whispy, like the wind on a cold winter's night, brushing gently past the ears of someone unexpecting, and alone. "Yes, my master..." his eyes gained a sense of life, and purpose, and he smiled weakly.

Draco let out a curt grunt when the knock disturbed the moment, and Jr. walked in. "Father! I bring news on Mo-" Jr blinked at what he saw, Taris, with a Shadowling of her own?

"Your dear sister has already informed me of your Mother's Location, and has recieved her reward. You, on the otherhand, forgot to kneel before your father before speaking..." Within a heartbeat Draco was behind his son, mouth inches from his ear. "I suggest you leave, Jr. I'm not exactly happy with your behavior as of late to begin with. Or have you forgotten?" he growled.

Jr. stumbled and turned, his emerald eyes with a mix of emotions as he looked at his father and bit his bottom lip, dropping to a knee and gulping. "I... I'm sorry, Father... I'll... leave now." he said, and leave he did, but not before shooting a glare at Taris. He opened the door and was about to slam it when a Tendril from Draco's sleeve coiled around his arm.

"Slam my door again and you'll be reattatching your arm without Winston's help." Draco said, not bothering to look at his thus far good for nothing son. At least Brutus made good beer and sent over a keg or two every now and again, drunken fool. Draco sighed and then smiled again at Taris. "You should go. Introduce Zendu to Winston, and find yourself something to eat. Tell the cook you are to get a double serving tonight." he said, putting a hand on her shoulder before moving back to his chair and facing the sunrise again.

"Now, shoo." he said, waving his daughter off. Back to being her not-so-Dear-Old-Dad.

Taris dropped to one knee, her left fist to the floor as she bowed as her father turned to face the sunrise again, letting her get going, she had things to do. And Zendu had a mission to amcplish. "yes Papa. As you say." She stood without a sound and gently closed her fathers study door behind her as Zendu preceeded her. Her mind once more reeling madly, Her father had given her a title, didnt that require a crest ? Maybe, she'd worry about that later, but first thing was first, Zendu had to meet Winston. She instructed Zendu on where to find her sisters bedroom where Winston was before going to find the cook

With Zendu gone to see Winston, Taris went down the hall and turned a corner, and walked face first into her brothers neck. Jr was strong for their age, and not just magic wise. But phsyically as well, So the force of her walking into him dead on sent her sprawling to the floor. "Ow!" Taris chirped. her father was enjoying the sunrise, thinking of Mother. And she gave him good news concerning Momma. So bumping into her brother told her not to disturb her father no matter what happened else it sour his happy mood

Jr growled and turned, rubbing the spot where she slammed into him practically while glaring down at her. "Well if it isn't Mrs Daddy's Pet." He growled, ignoring the hypocrisy of his statement; since he was going to do the exact same thing to gain favor with their father. "You happy? Hm? Being able to create your own Shadowling?" He growled, picking her up by the coller and pushing her into a corner.

Taris grunted something, then gagged as her brother picked her up by the throat and slammed her into a corner of the hall. Her magic wasnt as strong as his, but she did make a good Shadowling, one who could serve, and protect her. But Zendu was with Winston by then, so she was alone. So she could only rely on what her mother taught her. Reacting fast she raked her hand on his, her Shadows werent as strong, but they did pack a punch. "Papa's Shadowlings ignored me, I overheard them speaking of where Momma is when they argued of how to tell Papa. How did you get the information ? The last thing I wanted was to cross Papa like you did!" She was already poltting a path around her brother. without Zendu, or her father she was on her own. She wasnt going to dare interrupt her father's morning again

"Besides, you forgot the protocol" It was force of habit with herself, she had always learned the hard way never to look at Papa without being told to do so by him directly. Taris just went and didnt speak until spoken to, execept that morning when the Shadowlings ignored her. But now they wouldnt. "If Mother is in the Aaetherspace; what now ? Do we keep beating each other up or work together to figure out a way to bring her home for Papa so he can be happy again ?" She already dreaded what her sisters were gonna do to her when _they_ found out

Jr. tightened his grip on his sister and snarled. "I spoke to one of her Kobolds! I was there!" he growled. That's how he knew. "That was _my_ information to give to him; my gift to recieve! Not for you, runt!" he rumbled. He then lifted her up, using the wall to help his effort in keeping her up, not aiming to choke her but scare her.

"Don't talk to me about protocol, runt, or I'll break your toes, one at a time." He growled. An empty threat. Truth be told, Draco Jr. Was mostly all bark and no bite, using his status as "Jr." to do as he pleased.

Of course he had to slam her into the corner, with a curtain. her mother had taught her to use her surroundings, not just her abilities. So as her brother raised her against the wall, she grabbed the curtain rod and brought it down, hard, right on her brothers upturned face as he held her. At this point, even though it was an empty threat,, which she did not know at the time, she simply wanted out of his viselike grip! "How could you have gone there ?! The Portals are too weak for any to cross, Not even Sutri or Nasty can get to the Mythic realm without papa opening the portal for them to go through!"

He dropped her and clutched at his face briefly before smirking. "I have my ways..." he said, before returning to his disgusted look and growling, and then turning to leave.

"You're just jealous that Momma always favored me, and Papa favored the Twins over you or Brutus" Taris grunted as she caught her breath as she hit the floor on her feet. Boy that was a wrong move. But before her brother could advance on her to grab her throat again she held the curtain rod ready. Ready to whack him senseless if she had to. She was smaller than her brother, that made her weaker, but it also made her much faster

Jr. Turned and snarled, low and long. "She favored the weak one because Father would have left you to die otherwise." He responded with a growling smirk. In truth, Draco wouldn't have done that; and in fact would have taken Taris under his wing himself if Kethend hadn't been so adamant about it. But they didn't know that.

Taris stared at her brother, he went for the throat dead on, but not with his hands, but with his words. She smirked. "That's not how Winston says it, he says that Papa's voice kept me from dying inside my egg and that you thought he was Momma!" yeah being the runt had its perks, and drawbacks. Of which being doted on and picked on where the daily thing. Her voice though had a hint of amusment, it was true, Jr had htached and fell out of the nest at Papas feet, screaming up at Draco the word MOMMA as loud as his tiny lungs at the time could scream

Another low growl, followed by a Tendril shooting up and slapping Taris across the face. "At least I didn't almost die in my egg." he said.

Taris didnt flinch, her brothers tendril left a neat long slash across her face, the tendril left three marks on her face along her brow, with the third mark trailing down her right eye to her jaw. She felt her vison blur and put a hand to her face, coming back with blood. She was tempted on the spot to retaliate but kept her cool as blood trailed from the new cuts. Finally she said simply. "I was wrong. You're not jealous. You miss Momma too. Papa has the two of us working together to find Momma, and we did, but I got the reward and you didnt, so." She lowered the curtain rod, letting it drop to the floor. She waited to see if her brother would strike her again. Draco had them working together to find their mother, and they did. But Taris got the gift

Jr paused again, but did nor said nothing. He shook his head and went off down the hall, grumbling to himself. He wanted no part in this anymore. He wanted his mother...he wanted to rest.

 **At that same moment**

 **Arendelle Castle Rooftops**

Meditation was good for the soul, it always was. But when Mark came across the information that someone was seated upon the rooftop of the castle at the sunrise, he had to investigate since Anna hadnt been up there recently, well, since he arrived actually. More like since he had returned to Arendelle. From what Mark understood Anna used to hang out on the rooftop of the castle for hours watching the ships in the harbor as a child. But now, there was someone standing on the pennicle of the castle rooftop. Someone who had evaded his Assassins he had posted on the walls and along the guard gates and each guard post, the guards were changed every four hours to maximise alert and ready soldiers at all times

Upon reaching the pennicle of the rooftop, Mark indeed saw a single woman with long black hair, she was dressed in black robes, and her face was covered in a strange mask that revealed one eye but covered her right eye and nose in clearly black and what had to be purple wires and still showed skin enough to see a mask there, yet her bright amber hazel eyes watched his every move in the predawn moonlight. Mark drew his sword and settled into a soft light footed stance, the woman before him never went for her weapons but her amber eyes seemed to glow as she watched him carefully. For a brief moment it was quiet, the sounds of the water far below the castle was heard, then he attacked, the sword whistled and the woman ducked out of reach, easily blocking the next strike and then ducking under his swordarm and stepped around him. Mark nearly lost his balance on the roof as he twirled around to face her

Spinning about she grabbed his swordarm as he swung at her and he bounched backwards from the sudden movement with her hand striking his swordhand a step or two before striking at her again while she had her back to him, Whack, whack, clonk! Bang. Each strike was blocked as he aimed first at her left side from behind, first one, then the other as Mark spun with his own back to her, with his back to the strange masked woman however she anaged to keep her back to him as he reached her her mask strings, missing completely she finally she struck twice lightning fast, Mark hopped backwards a few paces. Now the woman was letting him get a good look at her masked face

Mark snarled and ran at her, since he was between her and her way out, the water a hundred meters below. He struck, again she blocked easily, his arm went high, she went low, smacking twice at his chest but bouncing back as she struck his armor. He struck again, she grabbed his arm, pulling it down, holding it the two danced while they fought over the sword, Mark tried to swing at her with his free hand, she ducked, still holding his sword arm she span them apart skillfully. Letting him get another good long look at her face before she broke away from him, now between him and the roof edge, and then she did something that made Mark blanche in disbelief. turning and jumping off the rooftop.

Marks eyes went wide, He chriped out something, and ran for the edge. As Mark ran to the edge he never saw the woman hit the water in a clean smooth dive, a Leap of Faith if he ever saw one. But he was confused. Whoeever the woman was knew his methods and stances. Knew his strengths and weaknesses. She used no weapons, yet he recognised the hilts at her hip. He remebmered those hilts. There were three hilts, one of them a slitetto he'd thought he'd lost, the other two hilts were a pair of Daggers, Daggers that were his mothers own prefered emerald green weapons, they were the same two daggers he remembered cvlearly because his mother had them on her belt in his sisters bedroom, and she had then given them both to his sister and the siltetto to him when the Templars tried to kill them as children twenty years ago; Who was that dark haired woman ? How did she know his every move ? The answer was simple, talk to Blackmane, or Snowfeather, either one could help figure this new question out.

 **Aerndelle**

 **Castle Council Room**

 **Twenty minutes later**

As the nobles began filing into the council chambers of the castle, which was near to the Throe Room but without her parents leading it Elsa refused to use that room, it was mostly a gallery of paintings recently given to the Queen. Of the many council members, a third of them entered with a bird on their shoulder, or on a walking staff, or similar. A woman had been in the room waiting for the council to be in session. Spending the night searching the stars for a brief moment with Light left Asaca planning her next move. Kanwar still wasnt known to be in the kingdom and if Kalda's reincarnation found out his ancient teacher was also in the kingdom, it could lead to a very bad thing. So the less known about Kanwar the better.

Normally standing an even 9' tall, Asaca had taken a more human like height of around six foot four. Any smaller, she mused, and her weight to strength raito would totally fuck up pretty much anything around her just by her moving. So she settled at six foot four inches, which left many a dent in the many doorframes of the castle, and surrounding buildings. Most of the time, for a Dragon like her. her normal form was Kajiu sized, absolutely huge. and deadly. But lately her dragon size had been much smaller, about the size of a 727 jet

"What do y'suppose this meeting will be about?" one noble asked another.

"Can't say; ever since my wife got that damn bird I've got no sleep."

"You too, eh?" Another, with a bird perched on his head said. "This one likes my head for some reason."

"Well if you washed your hair it probably would stop that."

"Fair enough. Bastard..."

Mark turned to Elsa as they waited in the next room. "You remember what you must discuss with them, yes?" he asked her, his armor gleaming gently in the sunlight that entered through the window as he walked over to her. His hood was currently down, and his hair was tied back, though a few bangs hung in front of his forehead, hiding one or two scars. His Silver-ringed eyes took in her form; was it him or was she getting prettier? Blinking that thought away he smiled, and awaited her answer.

She'd grown a lot since he arrived in Arendelle; mentally and as a leader, not just as an assassin. And while he noticed physical changes as well, he kept those to himself, unless it meant her hair smacking him in the face when they sparred; in which case he called her out on it.

"Spending, recently liberated districts, the renovations in those liberated districts, restructreing of the council... you look like you've been through a lot" Elsa said in reply as if rattling off a list; try as she might, she couldnt get the red out of her dress. So she tried green, it helped, for the most part until Mark fainted at least, then she stuck with the red from that point on. Little did she know he had been through a lot, that morning, before sunup. On the castle rooftop.

She looked through the crack in the door, using a snowflake to see a bit she saw a noble walk in with a colorful bird on his head nesting there as if it were a birdnest. "if I didnt know better I'd say that noble got a new hat recently" she pointed to the 'screen' the snowflake formed, showing the guy taking his seat near a woman in dark purple and light pink. "Who is that ?" Elsa asked, pointing to the woman, a woman she had never seen before, Pale purple eyes ringed in brilliant white were watching around the room carefully.

Mark noticed and chuckled at the man with the bird on his head, and then upon seeing Asaca, he patted Elsa's back gently. "An old friend. Here to help." he said calmly before smiling at her. At her comment of him being through a lot he gave her a gentle smile and a shrug. "I'll be alright; it's you I'm worried about; with me not around as much who knows what could happen." he said, his hand landing on her shoulder again, well, more like her neck. His thumb gently caressed her jawline before he let out a soft chuckle and pulled his arm back.

"Well I hope the Queen will have something important to say; she ain't called a council meeting in quite a while." the councilman with a bird on his head said.

Around him, councilman agreed, and one of the birds squawked "Important!" before being silenced by a cracker.

"Well, your sister, Serenity I believe, was kind enough to be of help yesterday, though the birds didnt take too kindly to have a slightly delayed breakfast. that little truck of hers sure kept Olaf busy. When she tried tyo explain to me what it was and how it worked, it kind of went over my head" Meaning Serenity's RC truck, Slicer got around, and sometimes it was like it had a mind of its own even when Serenity controlled it. However now that Olaf had, in a way, met it, he couldnt stop chasing it with Sven. Then when he was hugging the little ghostly colored car thing it was constantly struggling to get out of his arms

She took another look towards Asaca, at the words an old friend from Mark she briefly, ever so briefly, recalled seeing a woman dressed iexactly/i like that, but somehow looking much larger. Maybecause at the time when Xeir first met Asaca was only minutes after her birth. "She looks familar. I cant place her though." It didnt matter it was almost time for the council to begin, still a few more council members left. And almost all of them had a bird.

In the council Chamber Asaca watched every man and woman that entered carefully, those with a bird had her undevided attention, however it was the arrival of one of the councilmembers, a woman, with a starkwhite cocatoo on her shoulder, entered. Almost right away the pale purple eyes focused on the bird, but that was not her target, the bird was harmless, as it was, for all intents, Petunia herself; a gentle, albiet, harmless, and pretty much uesless in a fight for any of the Eagle Empire.

The woman Petunia was with however, Asaca turned her attention to. Where had she seen that woman before ?

Mark nodded. "You almost ready? The Councilmen don't like to be kept waiting I hear." he said softly.

The woman what Asaca's eyes gazed upon looked plain enough at first; but it was those bright colors splashed across her clothing that eventually would give away her identity as the current Leader of the Parrot Enclave, Nadia. From the open window towards the top of the room, Ulnaus let out a few chirps as he preened at his feathers, the massive bird's eyes glowed, and one of Mark's own eyes glowed as well. Mark was using Ulnaus to channel his Eagle Vision, and get a literal bird's eye view of the room below.

The door opened and Mark entered just after raising his hood. "Ladies and Gentlmen of the Council, and curious Citizens of the Kingdom, your Queen: Elsa." he gestured to the door, and waited for her to come out while the room erupted with clapping and cheering, all of which would quiet down as she entered, as they all greeted her with a bow, before resuming their clapping.

Elsa simply nodded to Mark when he asked if she was ready. She smirked though, councilmen were all upstarts, people she had to keep a wary eye on at all times. She stepped out when Mark said her name amid the clapping and cheering, she took her seat at the head of the table. Why they used a council room and not the throne room Elsa had made clear in the past when she had been asked. Among the things to be discussed that morning was the current state of the kingdoms economy, the recent rise in renovation spending within the kingdom, and finally, well, the recent fights in the streets. Pretty much pitting soldier against soldier

When she sat down she began to speak. "It has been some time since we last convined a Council; and since that time things hace changed within the kingdom. Most of you have noticed recently we've begun reopening shops, stores, and renovating buildings for those needing homes." She said

As Elsa spoke, Asaca kept her eyes on the councilwoman dressed in loud colors. Whereas Petunia was a demure plain white cocatoo, thew woman she was with was everything but demure and unasuming. Asaca easily identified her as a member of the Eagle Tribe, but she couldnt place her role in the Parrot Enclave as yet. the sheer amount of clothing the woman wore however soon gave away a position of power.

Mark stood close to Elsa, his hands behind his back as he observed the crowd, with both his eyes and Ulnaus's, and eventually, both also came to focus on the woman from the Parrot Enclave: Nadia. As Kai came forth to serve Elsa some tea, Mark vanished from sight, using the cover of Kai's passing to use a Transport Array to stand at Asaca's side.

No one noticed.

" _Do you see her?_ " he asked in Draconian, whispering silently.

Asaca nodded, with Kai providing a brief distraction Mark had slipped away, but Kai wouldnt be there for long. " _Yes, a white Cocatoo upon her shoulder._ " Asaca replied just as silently. " _She is of the Eagle Empire, I recognise the stature, but who she serves, or who she is, I do not know just yet_ " Asaca then observed carefully what the woman, a higher ranking councilwoman at that, was doing. Sadly, it wasnt that woman to speak but of the Councilman with the parrot nesting on his head.

"As of now, the number of fights going on in the streets of the districts is rather alarming." The man said, stepping forward to be heard. "The people, while grateful of the liberations of their districts, are becoming rather...ill, at seeing the damage done to bodies of both friend and foe alike in these street fights. Is there no way to contain them so that the citizens won't have to see such bloodshed?"

Mark grunted and moved back to his spot beside Elsa; this was a question he could answer. The Transport array faded and he had Ulnaus chirp lightly to get the attention of the Cocatoo; the larger bird seeming to want to play with the smaller one.

"Allow me to answer that, my Queen." At her nod he stepped forward, into view from behind Kai, and cleared his throat. "I understand the want and need to keep the eyes of the citizens from seeing what is happening; I myself hated what I do when I first started. Unfortunately, I'm afraid there is no open way to go about doing as you suggest without lowering our presence in the districts, and putting them at higher potential risk for invasion by the Templars once more." he said

"Invasion by Templars!" The bird upon the man's head squawked.

"No good!" another squawked.

Ulnaus screeched lightly, providing a distraction.

Elsa smiled first to the reaction from the parrot atop one of her councilmens head, and then nodded to Mark in thanks. She had no exact way of wording her answer regarding the fighting in the streets. "Master Wolfe says it correctly" She said simply. "Though I think we could try to aim for nighttime liberations, to minimise the number of citizens in the streets at the times of the fighting." A nod, followed by a unhappy squawk from the walking birdnest before their attention was again taken by Ulnaus above.

Petunia however reacted with "Cracker or I go" To which the woman whose shoulder she perched on gave her a very dirty look, Petunia squawked in her face loudly and took off, briefly alightling on Elsa's desk, preened her feathers, and then headed for the open window. Another sudden squawk came, this time from Ulnaus, as a sudden arrival of another much larger bird bird caught his eye a ways off in the kingdom flying around, looking for someone.

Asaca kept her eyes locked on Nadia, the woman she had no idea of the name of until she raised a hand to speak and Elsa spoke. "Yes, Nadia ?"

"All of that's well and good; but what of the renovations? They will proceed slower than normal with the upcoming winter. How do you intend to combat that problem?" she asked, her accent was not one of an Arendelle Native, but of an Parrot Enclave native thick and clear. Mark's ears twitched and Ulnaus chirped again as he puffed up slightly, the bird looking for someone coming closer. He let out another screech and took off after it, to intercept it and keep it away from the palace for the moment until the meeting was done.

A single one of his massive feathers drifted down and landed in Mark's outstretched hand. He examined it and smirked. This would make a fine quill to write with; he'd have Aunt Blackmane take it for the moment, slipping it into one of his coat pockets.

Nadia cleared her throat, and stepped forward. "My Queen. How do you intend to keep Renovations on schedule with Winter approaching? The wood will rot, and the metal will crack with the ice." she said.

Whoa, Elsas ear twitched, oy that was a bit shrill, yet, well, it was an accent Elsa had never heard, normally the districts elected their councilmen and women, and apparently even though Nadia wasnt a Native of Arendelle, she got the spot, somehow. ofr course it was the bird atop the one councilmans head who squawked, "Loudmouth!" To which he shut up almost on the spot because a cracker was within sight and he started munching as the man he nested on said under his breath "two words; eat this"

Asaca visibly flatted her ears to her skull as Nadia spoke, Parrots were always shrill. It was a natural. She remained seated however as Elsa spoke. "Most of the wood is treated for it. the metals can be forged later, or at any of the current blacksmiths. The main matter now is most of the renovations were on the outside, what is inside needs cleaning out and also rebulding within." She was then thoughtful, she wanted to restructure the council, put those she trusted with her life in it at the higher ranks. But first.

"Out of seventy one districts in the Kingdom there are only nineteen currently liberated and under our control. One of them is the former Whitehall District. Now put to its proper name, Wolfe." Elsa said

"But there is also the matter of some of the recent fighting your highness." Said a upper ranked councilmember, he detailed a recent fight wherein Anna of all people was at the center of it. "Should it be known publicly that both our Queen and Princess are taking part, even if at risk of their own safety ?"

"Anna... was in a fight ?" Apparently Anna hadnt told Elsa that.

Mark let out a small chuckle of the notion that Anna was in a fight, however that chuckle turned into a full blown laugh for a moment. "I pray for mercy for whoever fights the Princess..." He said, composing himself quickly. He cleared his throat. "As for the knowledge of the Queen and her sister publicly fighting against the very people who have been oppressing their subjects, I feel that it would be better for public morale if it was well known that Elsa and Anna were both actively fighting against the Templars." he said.

"As for the metals you speak of, Nadia, the Wolfe Forges themselves can produce the metals all throughout the winter as well as store them so that they will be safe. If it would put your mind at ease, I will have some trusted Assassin Craftsman hard at work all throughout Winter, making the metal and also cutting it and welding it for future use."

"Provided I be given the location of these forges, I would be happy to oblige." Nadia countered

"Then the forges will not be lit. Anything related to my Clan falls directly under my discretion. And I'm afraid only those I can trust with my life or better yet the Queen's life will know any locations of any hidden Wolfe Vaults or Forges. I will offer again; I can have the metals made in the Wolfe Forges. What say you?" Mark countered her counter

Nadia narrowed her eyes at the only known Wolfe survivor. She didn't just size him up, she probed him. Felt his power, his strength and his emotions. Her only advantage was in Magical power but with that armor of his, none of it would matter. She'd lose if she fought him directly. She then cleared her throat and smiled. "Yes. We have an agreement Master Wolfe." she said. She'd get back at him later, perhaps...slipping something into a drink of his that would make him lose all tolerance for alcohol.

Mark grunted and nodded. From Ulnaus' eyes he could see the other bird, bigger than he was, being rather annoyed by his pecking, the beautiful Silver feathers glaring sunlight off of them and making it difficult for the sarker colored bird to see. Cutting off the connection, Mark let Ulnaus figure it out by himself. He was dumb, but at the same time, he was smart enough not not have died yet.

With that, he looked to Elsa, if any further things needed to be discussed, now would be the time to bring them up.

Elsa had to smile at the thought of mercy from Anna, she sure nailed Hans... she sobered up on the mere thought of the young man. "Becauyse of the length of time since the last council session, and many districts have been liberated. I have come to the conclusion that, for so large a kingdom, the council is to be restructured." A low murmur went through the assembled men and women. unhappy squawks were also heard.

"It will not happen in the way you fear, far from it, out of seventy one districts, only nineteen are liberated. And there are twenty three members of this council. What remaining four among you have yet to have their distrct liberated ?" Four different councilmembers, three women, one man, rtaised their hands, they were all on the lower council, and only the man, the same guy with the parrot, on his head, was one fo those four. He wasnt the only one with a parrot though, one of the women, a young woman by look of her, whome Asaca could clearly denote as a Sparrow, had a parrot with her.

Elsa nodded, "It is settled, your four districts are to be liberated next." She said, much to the now much happier council.

A councilmember raised her hand, the same young woman with a parrot. and spoke simply, her voice, clearly not that of a native, but one who had been there a long time rang clear. "Last night, a district, Toshalok, was liberated. Residents reported hearing the sound of harps or laughter of children during the night, but upon arrival this morning in the sunrise, they found nothing but golden paved stonework within the core of the district. Is it known of what occured here ?" the Sparrow, known simply as Lee, seemed unassuming enough, but then Asaca trusted the Sparrows as messengers. Hell Asaca trusted Sparrows more than Parrots as it was, but she had to smirk unseen as her handiwork was found that morning. All eyes turned to Mark at those words, of what happened last night.

Outside over the Kingdom, two massive birds were having a fit. One of the, quite larger than the other, beautiful silver feathers glittering in the sunlight kept clawing her talons at Ulnaus, who was pretty much dwarfed by the much larger silver bird. Annoyed shrieks came from both birds. But amazingly, no matter how hard Ulnaus tried, he couldnt pull a feather off the much larger bird, but he was forcing her downwards. Finally the larger eagle turned and dove straight for a fountain. Ulnaus hot on her tail. With a flick of the tailfeathers however, the much larger silver bird suddenly shot straight up, just a meter before slamming into the fountain at the speed of sound.

Mark blinked from under his hood. Oh boy. He didn't know Asaca's handiwork would leave traces; let alone traces that would last this long. 'Okay Mark...Bullshit protocol activate.' He thought to himself as he cleared his throat.

"I liberated that District myself; I forced the Templars to play the harps and paint the stones in the ground before they left. I figured the best way to keep them out would be to humiliate them utterly." He was a damn good liar, it helped that his mother and aunt were Snowfeather and Blackmane, specifically; though the latter made it impossible to keep secrets, the former was a little more lenient, but still bloody hard to lie to or keep secrets from.

It was a good thing Mark was great at keeping a straight face too, though secretly under his hood he was glaring daggers at Asaca, a sort of "What the fuck?" to her as to why she didn't tell him this would happen.

Outside, Ulnaus screeched as the larger bird suddenly dove, diving after her, folding his wings in to let gravity do the work. Ulnaus was not a smart bird by human standards; and by bird standards, he certainly wasn't the most physically agile. But what he lacked in brains and agility, he made up for in sheer strength and persistence. Persistance enough to completely forget to pull up, and strength enough to plow dead through the fountain, through the ice of the courtyard, and leave a massive hole in his wake, and then remain under the ice for a good few seconds before dragging himself out, and retreating to wherever it was he went before Mark had the magical fortitude to keep him present the whole time; likely the Mythic Realm, with a puff of bronze smoke and a single soaked feather on the ice.

Mark blinked at the commotion outside, and his head tilted a little as if he were hearing grave news when Ulnaus vanished from this realm. " _Well...Fuck._ " he said plainly in Arabic; as if he were saying it in a conversation. He hoped no one else there knew enough Arabic to know what he said, and would dismiss any questions as to what it meant, saying it meant something along the lines of "Good luck" or something of that sort.

It was a good thing Mark was a damn good liar. After all, he'd read the book.

When the look was thrown her way, Asaca could feel him looking at her, she just gave him a 'what ?' look back at him as if nothing was amiss. However when mark opened his mouth she put her head in her left hand and rubbed her temple. Ok, hopefully some of these Nobles were stupid enough to believe that. Lightfire was a strange magic, it sounded like harps, but the results were nothing short of a miracle. Her eyes went briefly to the window as she too heard the noise before seeing a silver bird fly past. OK, where had she seen feathers _that_ silver ?

Elsa raised an eyebrow, OK, that was... odd. She let the matter drop however as Lee seemed to nod and take it at face value as the Parrot on her shoulder leaned to her ear and whispered something. The young woman nodded and spoke anew "Very well, what shall we do then with the stonework, aside from the district wishing it to become a fountain of gold stone ?" Elsa breathed a sigh of relief when Lee spoke, it saved her a grilling of Mark, which was sure to happen.

But it was true, it was impossible to keep secrets from Blackmane, she had her ways of finding the truth, even moreso than Car Key, yet the latter found out something of one of the Assassins that not even Blackmane knew, or did she and not tell her own secrets ? It didnt matter. Not yet anyway. But, there was also the problem of his sisters, the tiger twins most in Egypt called them when they were growing up. Serena had a means, like Blackmane, to find out secrets, and even though Serenity was Marks confandante it was Serena who blabbed to her mother of the girl Mark was seeing at the time when he was a teenager.

But this secret, and the lie that went with it, seemed to hold enough water to let the nobles think it was the truth, however it was Lees question of what to do with the golden stones that Asaca's mouth pretty much went slack and she lost control of her lower jaw as it hung open, make a fountian, out of lightfire'ed stones ? Impossible! unles you were a Light Dragon, or Light, or herself, or Kanwar, it wasnt exactly possible to move those stones... at all for a mortal.

But then again, Mark wasnt a mortal... anymore. Asaca knew him as her former Captain, Kalda.

'Shit...' Mark thought. 'More bullshit to throw onto the pile.' he then licked his lips and continued to answer that question as to what to do with the stones. "Cover them, for now. Once the surrounding Districts are liberated, and it is safe to do so, I will personally see to their cleaning, and if that's not possible, removal and replacement." he said. He truth be told didn't know what to do with them.

"Are there any further questions? Or shall we adjourn this council meeting?" Mark asked, hoping for the love of Light that there would be no more questions.

"Just one" Came a new voice, that of one of the Higher ranked councilmen, "There is a report here" he set a paper on the center table once he reached the floor to speak, "A report filed this morning, to my desk. those stones, that area, Witnesses report seeing a dragon." if Asacas eyes got any bigger they'd fall out of her head as she stared mouth agape, thankfully none looked her way or really saw here where she sat using the shadows to mask her presence. Dragonshit she'd been seen by normal mortals in her true form!

Kai entered however, and with him was a yong woman, dressed in black and silver armorlike cloth, long white hair like a cranes feathers framed an angular face; though there was no mistaking who the newcomer was, Asaca smiled slightly seeing the Eagle Princess. the black and silver armor was like lace in some areas of her clothing. an eagle in flight upon her breast, she stood tall and regeal as Kai went to Elsa's side and spoke to her. "A young lady wishes to see you. And Master Wolfe. Says it concerns something of an old friend. She also seeks a place to sleep for tonight"

Elsa regarded the newcomer carefully, hawkbrown eyes stared directly at her. Apparently ignoring mark, but then Mark was busy bullshitting his way out of trouble. Hey he read the book too, After all, the Art of Bullshitting iwas/i a bestseller after all. After all, Nobles lied every few seconds anyhow. Elsa nodded, "Very well, show her a room, get her what she requires, when this meeting is over I will see her." Kai nodded and once conferred with the strange newcomer they both left. However all the nobles in the room saw her, and only three of them recognised her right off the bat. Nadia, Lee, and the Parrot

Princess Fang had arrived.

Mark waited until Princess Fang had left the room, which gave him ample time to come up with his next gem of an answer: "The Templars were spreading hallucinagenic drugs through the air of the District; I saw the Dragon too, and upon trying to fight it, decided my time was better spent burning the tower to the ground." he at this point was making one hell of a conscious effort not to laugh at his own bullshit, and was doing a damn fine job, biting his tongue and keeping a straight face the whole time.

'If I have to bullshit one more answer it's going to start to smell in here...' he thought.

"If you saw it then it makes eight witnesses" the Councilman said, he handed the paper to mark, his own name was on it. Terrence Filos, and the sad part was, there werent any drugs in the councilmans system. It was at this point that Mark wanted to flip the table over and end the bureaucratic disaster but decided against it. "the witnesses that reported this to my desk this morning, but if you saw it and focused instead on liberating the district, why are there no bodies ?" there had to be bodies, if a dragon had indeed been there, what happened to the bodies of the slain ?

Finally Elsa raised a hand, "Perhaps our guest can explain ?" She said simply, all eyes turned to her, then to Mark, as if asking Mark to introduce Asaca, then again what name had she used. Wait, did she use a different name other then Asaca ? It didnt matter, Mark had pointed her out as a old friend, and Esla mentioned her as a guest. At that point, anything to save Mark a screwing over. The councilmen and women looked between each other confused, they had a guest with them and didnt know it ? They counted off everyone there, there was none else in the room. But they had infact missed but one. Elsa nodded to Mark, as if asking him to introduce Asaca, who was in the corner, rubbing her temple gentle before sighing to stand up and step into view

"May I present the Lady Asaca; who comes from a far off land in the East.' He said, gesturing to Asaca as she stood and came into view. " _Please make this end quickly; I'm dying here._ " He whispered in Draconian, knowing she'd be able to hear it.

" _You are not dead yet, Kaal... relax._ " Asaca replied softly as she passed him to step to the table and took the report from the councilm,an, reading it over. Seven witnesses. then Mark reported drugs in the air. She read the report over, smiling thoughtfully, each witness had a convoluted notion of just how big she was in the courtyard, some saying larger than a house, others saying larger than a ship. One saying larger than the castle. but that was impossible for her to actually become in the Mortal Realm anyhow.

Elsa figured that if Asaca didnt see the dragon, Marks words were true. Finally she spoke, her voice one of wisdom. "Master Wolfe's words ring true, I was there in the place the fighting occured to aid him, but I saw no dragon in the darkness." She held the paper up, confusion written on her face. "These witnesses you report on here say different sizes of the creature, if it was a Dragon, the size the witnesses report would be all uniform, but some say the creature was larger than a house, one says larger than the castle. I can assure you, where I come from, no dragon is reported to be that big. It just isnt possible." She cast a look towards mark ,seeing him sigh in relief. Well, so much for that report.

However it wasnt going to last as the Council was soon to ajurn, and for the moment, Marks holy bucket of bullshit was holding just enough shit to hold water. Lee nodded, she agreed apparently with her own bird. "I agree, I will send men to cover the stones to keep them safe from prying eyes until nearby districts are cleared of... Templar influence." The Parrot threw a look towards Mark, a nod towards Nadia, just barely seen from the loudly colored bird. the Parrot was pretty much saying 'Her, she's the leader of the Enclave here!'

Mark caught the look of the Parrot, and smiled in response to its nod; he knew, and in Draconian, he relayed that to Asaca now that she was done helping him bullshit the pile of bullshit into a glorious pile of bullshit with some makeup and a cherry on top.

"Very good! Now then, a final word or two from our Queen, and I believe we are done!" he said, clapping his hands together and turning to look to Elsa; the smile on his face both convincing, and also begging her to either kill him or finish the meeting quickly.

Elsa smiled, there were no forthcoming questions, other than a next meeting date and concerns for the restructuring of the council, of which Elsa was not going to worry about at that moment; once the next four districts were liberated would she worry of it. She nodded and stood. "Until the next four districts are liberated, this council is ajurned. However, I will not consider or worry of the restructure processes at this time, I have other more pressing matters to worry about. You each manage your own districts that are currently liberated. Manage them well." Elsa then sat back down, slapping her hand on the desk before her she said simply. "this Council is ajurned until the four Districts have been liberated. Dismissed" She cast a look towards Mark, as if asking him, what it was all about. Though she didnt see it, his eyes were watching Nadia carefully as she left the room

Asaca turned to Mark then, since he was on the other side of the room, the councilors going by him to get to the door, she flicked her fingers towards him, as if wanting something from him, what she had given him the night before, her seal, he had it. She was tempted to use her magic and pull the thing to her, but chose against it, it was bad enough seven people, common mortals at that, not even Templars, saw her true form.

Mark held a finger up to Elsa as if asking her to wait before he moved to Asaca, catching her gesture out of the corner of his eye. He sighed and withdrew her seal, handing it to her from between his middle and index finger. "Thank you... for coming, and for saving my ass back there. Don't know how I can repay you for that." he said, patting her shoulder before giving her a nod.

He returned to Elsa, and sat in a chair next to her while leaning back into the chair as his armor vanished and he lowered his hood, brushing back his hair and letting out a deep breath. "My god...that just wouldn't end..." he groaned.

"I agree" She said, she watched softly then as the last few council men left the room, leaving only Lee, her parrot, and Asaca with Mark and Elsa in the room as Asaca went to the door and made sure it was locked with them inside. She nodded to the two Assassins outside the door to keep watch as Elsa turned her sights on Mark. "What was that all about ? You're not the type that has enemies play music when you take them down. I too heard the sounds of harps playing, but... I cannot say if I saw a dragon, or an old friend lighting a tower signal fire"

Oh dear

Mark didn't bother really changing his expression; he was tired after that, and in need of a good drink. "You're right, I don't make my enemies play music or paint; I just kill them." He said. "As for the Dragon; well... I saw one; but she was helping me; and as for the corpses, well...you know how well we Assassin's can hide bodies." he said, shrugging, as he let his head turn to look at her with a tired smile. "I lit the fire and killed the captain, the Dragon part... yea... I honestly can't say. Last night was a bit of a rush..." he then stood and moved over to Elsa, and kissed her forehead gently.

"Now then; there's something I must attend to in the courtyard; I think Ulnaus has finally lost his mind, and then... I'm going drinking. After a council meeting like that... whoo man... not fun... I'll talk to you later!" he said, waving as he turned and headed out to the courtyard where Ulnaus had crashed into the Ice. Using his Eagle Vision, Mark watched the scene unfold, the silver bird three times larger than Ulnaus pulling up at the very last second, allowing Ulnaus to slam into the bountain and ice behind it, and rolled his eyes. He would let Ulnaus rest for a few more minutes, and summon him again before he began drinking.

Elsa smiled as he kissed her, Mark always made her smile when he did that. She nodded as he explained what he did and saw the night before. So a dragon iwas/i in Arendelle last night, She smirked at mention of hiding bodies. "You know I am not that strong, yet. I can barely keep my feet when Anna drags me across the kingdom" It was truie, Elsa very nearly left impressions of herself in castle doors the last few days when Anna dragged her to breakfast as it was.

"It sounded like it" She said when Mark mentioned Ulnaus losing his mind, it was possible. She waved him off then, he wanted to drink after a meeting like that, she wasnt going to stop him. As he left Asaca had strangely preceeded him out and was nowhere to be seen, leaving lee, her Parrot, and Elsa in the councilroom together. But if Asaca had made no move towards the demure young woman, then Mark didnt have to worry about it either. Though marks words lingered on Elasas mind, he said 'she' The dragon was female ?

 **Arendelle**

 **Talz District**

 **After dinner**

 **Shortly after the Council Meeting**

Asaca was on the street in an alley trying to figure out just how to get rid of her handiwork when she felt a presence behind her, it was Mark, "You did a fine job of keeping peace back there." She said simply turning to face him, he wasnt happy, she crossed her arms in thought. "Lightfire'd stones will be heavy, give me tonight to clear them out. Or make the fountain proposed." She said, or rather, she tried to say that much when Mark had her in the corner. Confusion on his face. He had her by the shoulder and held her against a wall.

"Gold bricks? Harps?" He was more confused than angry. "Asaca...what the fuck even is Light Fire?" straight to the point it seemed, and after that storm of bullshitting the council, he needed to let off some steam; cursing and drinking were inbound in the near future.

"Will you relax ?" Asaca simply asked before she herself relaxed after Marks sudden appearance and holding her to a wall. She took a deep breath, how to tell him... "Lightfire is my weapon of choice, golden energy unlike any other. Only certain dragons have it." She said, "In some cases it can beautify a location or target, completely roast a target into gold dust, or freeze a target in its tracks to be thawed out later. On stones, metal or similar it turns it into gold. To some it is simply gold painted stone. Which in this case it is, mosiaclike tile actually." She tried to comprehend exactly what he was asking in terms of the harps. She sadly had no idea how to explain it and only said "I guess it is what it sounds like to others. To me it sounds like I'm belching fire" Well that explained a lot

He let out a deep breath and released his shoulder. "Fuck, man...I need a drink..." he groaned under his breath as he turned away for a few steps before turning back to her. "Alright then...that's fair enough. Now then." he took a deep breath. "Nadia, or whatever her name was...she's a Parrot, right? Bright colors and all?" he asked.

"What about her? She means well I can see that much...but what if she does something stupid? How will I handle that? How do I handle that? What if she doesn't mean well?" he asked; not expecting the answers to come in that particular order, but it might help if they did.

Asaca nodded, "yes, Nadia is her name, from what I could gather, the cocatoo on her shoulder is harmless" yeah, like Petunia had ANY combat skill outside of shitting in someones breakfast on complete accident. At Marks snicker at mention of the white cocatoo she waved him off, not bothering to ask for why he laughed she continued. "From what the Parrot and Sparrow both told me, nadia is the leader of the Parrot Enclave here in the Mortal Realm. She answers to I think Tilr or someone else. But I'm not entirely sure. She is a planner and plotter sure, but most of the time her plans reveolve around open air markets, and easy means of escape"

She thought a brief moment and then said "If she does try something stupid, its normally pretty subtle. and also unexpected. Most of the time it will involve buird shit. Lots of it. Noew, if she does mean well as our Parrot friend within the Enclave states, then we wont have to worry. Though from how it sounded your own feathered friend may have some problems with certain birds larger than he" She meant the silver bird that flew into town, Princess Fang was a good three times larger than Ulnaus was, not to mention twice as smart

Mark nodded along. "Got it, watch out for a shit load of...shit..." he shook his head and snapped his fingers at the mention of Ulnaus, the big oaf appearing on the ground next to him, looking good as new, but with a sort of scar on his beak, since he did land face first into that fountain. "Yea...he's not the smartest out there." He said, patting the big bird's back before he spread his wings and took off, chirping away.

Mark sighed again and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright, well...thanks for the info. If you need me I'll be out drinking." he said, waving as he turned and walked towards the district he had in mind. He lowered his hood and sighed, muttering to himself the whole time as he went down the road, and vanished into the crowd of people.

Nobody paid attention to the parrot as it flew in the window. Most tossed her crackers, which she gladly took as needed. before long however all attention was off the parrot and onto other things, allowing her to fly off into the room behind the counter and transform into her human appearance, like all members of the Eagle Empire, the Parrot Enclave could transform into humans as needed. It was strange in a way, but nobody much bothered to ask about it. Quickly changing clothing, Nadia wore a simple bar owners outfit and prepared her speical drink for a certain man she ensured to be there. After all, who wouldnt pass up a chance at cornering a templar in a game of friendly cards ?

As promised, Mark showed up, and in the corner was a Templar, who instead of getting up to fight, waved Mark over for a game of cards. Poker to be exact. Looking at Nadia, and not realizing it was her, Mark ordered two drinks, and sat across from the Templar. There was an uneasy silence while the man opposite Mark shuffled the cards, and dealt.

Mark scowled. "You deal this shit?"

"I did, didn't I?" apparently the Templar, who for now will be known as Jeremy, didn't deal himself a good hand either.

"Fuck man...gimme three." Mark put down three bad cards, got three new ones, his face became grim and solemn. Jeremy did the same, and his face was likewise hard to read.

"Loser drinks?" Mark offered as the huge mugs were brought to them, Mark's of course containing whatever Nadia had in store for him, and Jeremy's being just straight Whiskey.

"Sure." Jeremy said. They put their cards down. Winner, Jeremy. Mark scowled and took a swig, smacking his lips a bit at the taste but not complaining. He shuffled the cards, dealt, cards were drawn, and set down; Mark wins. Jeremy drinks. Jeremy shuffles, deals, loses again, drinks. Mark lost pon the third deal. Mark deals the fourth, wins, then when Jeremy deals, loses. Mark deals again, and once more loses. His vision is starting to get a little wobbly, but he continues.

Then he goes on a winning streak, and Jeremy needs a new mug, then Mark loses five in a row, then Jeremy, then Mark, then Jeremy twice, then Mark again.

"King me" Mark places his cards down.

"We're playing Craps you dumb fuck." Jeremy slurs, his eye twitching as his cards fall out of his hands.

"Yea? Well...y'know what?" he paused for a bit then stood. "I gotta pisshh...don't go anywhere I'm kickin' your assh when I get back."

"You wish" slurred Jeremy

It was then a struggle just turn out of his chair let alone get up and stand, and once he did, Mark sat his ass right back down and hung onto his chair for dear life before finally standing, and half dragging a foot and half stumbling towards the bathroom, accidentally goes into the ladies room, comes out with a smirk, goes into the mens room, is in there for Light knows how long, and then comes back to sit at his table, slamming his hand down on it, waking the snoring Jeremy.

"Alright...w-whosh turn ish it?" Mark's comprehension of what he was doing was slipping away quickly...that was damn good whiskey though...

The slap on the table startled Jeremy so much so that he quickly shuffled the cards, adn they went everywhere and some of them in Marks face directly before jeremy managed to only catch all of two {a two of diamonds and a Queen of Hearts but he swore it looked like a pair of kings} At this point both men were past blind drunk and going into new levels of drunk to the point where jeremy saw six of Mark and tried to deal the two cards he had and nailing the guy behind Mark with both cards dead in the kisser

Jeremy then made to get up from his chair, only to not do so well as someone, in this case a certain parrot, who was watching from the safety of the overhead beams within the tavern, had tied him to the chair by use of his belt, Jeremy took one step and the chair went with him. Freaking the poor man out he turned one way the chair went the other, he went the other way the chair did vice versa, Finally giving up {and at an entirely differnet table} he sat down and when he went to pick up his cards {it was another poker table} He ended up scooping up someones roast beef "Theshe aint m'cardsh, I dont remember drawin' a ashe of beef" he slurred ass he had gravy between his fingers and a carrot sticking out of his nose

Mark on the other hand was too busy laughing his ass off at a joke he told the guy next to him even though he couldn't even actually start the joke becuase he was too busy laughing. He had said something along the lines of "H-hey guy...eh man..." and then started to giggle like the drunk he was. There was about one or two more drinks left in his mug, though he made no motion to go for it.

By that point poor Jeremy had somehow managed to sit himself back where he belonged, next to his and Marks original table, now reaching for a third deck of cards after somehow getting gravy on his shirt Jeremy ended up slugging a totally innocent bystander, who in turn fell like a sack of weat to the floor. Of course that didnt sit well with the others in the building who regarded the two drunken men with careful eyes as Jeremly giggled stupidly and rolld off his chair, doing something extremely stupid such as, mooning the entire dinning room as he completely lost his pants to the chair

"Son of a bitch..." someone said. A beerbottle flew across the room and narrowly missed Mark's head, and then all hell broke loose as the men and women alike all tried to make their way to beat the snot out of the two drunks, Mark still laughing histerically and managing to dodge everything thrown his way just with drunken swaying and the like. Jeremy...not so much.

Two men tried to stand Mark up so they could take a swing at him, sadly when they reared up to swing, Mark ducked giggling and both men promptly knocked each other senseless with two soild WHACKS dead to the faces. Both men sank to the floor as a pot was chucked, a pot of somthing slammed into the wall as Mark ducked down to pick up his cards as poor Jeremy was nailed dead in the back of the head with a potted plant, the plant stayed on his head like a funny hat, which Jeremy pointed at seeing himself in a nearby mirror, he stasrted laughing, then got a motuhful of beer and ended up gargling

In his drunken stupor Mark fell onto his side, hyperextending the knee of the woman who was trying to kick him while he rolled onto her leg, causing her to fall, another man caught her, but apparently didn't realize where his hands were and then got decked by another woman, who then got tackled by her boyfriend so that she wouldn't kill anyone. Getting up, Mark looked at his hand, four fours and an ace. "Huh..." He climbed his way back up onto the table and laid down his hand.

"Ffff-four of a kind...bet'cha can't beat that." He said. Jeremy got slugged again, and Mark laughed, picking up his mug and lifting it in victory, moving it towards his lips to drink.

Jeremy smiled with broken teeth he raised his own drink {which was somehow nabbed from a guy who was about to throw it at someone else] and raised it in a toast to Mark before starting to knock it back, only to have it slapped out of is hand and flung across the room towards the door as a black haired beauty stepped in and stared, the mug of beer shattered against the doorframe and Georgina snapped her head to look at what hit the door beside her. She smirked and looked around before seeing Mark, completely slammed out of his mind, drinking.

Weaving her way through the thhrong of patrons having at each other in the best possible no holds barred bar fight mother of them all she managed to get to Mark as two burly men were about to drag his ass out the back. She knocked both men senseless and when she got Mark to his feet, he breathed in her face, she coughed and let go of him, letting him drop back to the floor laughing. man that breath... oddly smelled good. What was he drinking ? She looked around, amid the chaos around her of a barfight she seemed to have time slow around her as she took one shot of the beer. Dang that iwas/i good...

"Oi...what y'doin' droppin' meh like dat?" Mark stumbled up to his feet, first hitting the wall behind him, and then leaning forward against Georgina, head on her shoulder as he just sort of drunkenly hugged her. "What're ye do 'ere?" he slurred, leaning back and looking at her with squinted eyes.

Georgina smirked, though when mark suddenly hugged her drunkenly asking what she did there she faked it and started leading him out of the bar. Of course it also meant getting smashed with stuff, thrown food, broken bottles shattered and sprayed lirure of them both as she half dragged mark through the throng of people as poor jeremy lost not only his pants but his shoes, wallet and shirt, at least he still had his underwear on, which had the huge red cross of the Templars on it, though to those less in the know, it looked like typical American Red Cross underwear.

Of course by time Georgina had gotten through the barfight, she herself had become slam drunk asnd also completely soaked in various drinks, and she knew in the back of her mind somewhere that returning Mark to the castle in that state, hell returning Mark to his mother, Snowfeather, in that state would end up with her own ashs up next to her sons own on her mantle at home chose instead to take Mark to her house in Arendelle instead. She dragged Mark up to the door, fumbled with her keys for about a good minute before the two of them fell into the house, she kicked the door shut, struggled to her feet, then all but dragged Mark to bed.

On the way to the bed, Mark practically slammed her into the wall and liplocked her, his alcohol-fueled lust driving him, giving him slightly more control over his body though consciously he was gone. Clothes began to fly left and right on the way to the room, and the door shut with a slam, giggling from both parties heard feightly from outside, giggling that turned more passionate...

The home was inviting, and with his drunken state, why wouldnt it be ? Yeijia lead him to the bed, And as darkness ensconced himself outside, the level of life increased within the home...


	36. Seqeunce 9 Memory 2

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 9**_

 ** _Memory 2 Tour of Memories_**

 **15 Fefbuary 2052**

 **Arendelle**

 **Roughwater District**

 **Before sunrise** /b

" _There is no Ignorance, there is Knowledge_ "

 **The Jedi Code**

The night passed as a blur. From the pub, to the door, to the bed, the two would be lucky to remember more than a few details. Mark however, would remember nothing. The Sheer amount of spiked alcohol he drank had completely flooded his system, and as of now, he was still blackout drunk, and had little idea of what was going on in the world around him consciously. Physically, he was still entangled in the blankets and sheets of Georgina's bed, his clothing for the most part strewn about the floor from their passionate night beforehand.

Georgina figured he'd not like his clothes on the ground, so she at least folded them and put them on a chair opposite the bed to be collected later. She felt, oddly content with what had happened, yet at the same time a pang of guilt ran through her as she realized what she'd done. While it wasn't exactly official, it was no secret that Mark and Elsa were interested in each other; from the necklace to the sheer amount of time they spent with one another to even the kissing, they were a couple. And She'd just slept with Mark behind Elsa's back. What she didn't know, was how she was going to explain that to Elsa, nor how Elsa would react to it, or to the news that she was expecting.

Call it a mother's intuition, but Georgina just iknew/i she was expecting a child now. And after the night she had, even the Light would be dissapointed if she weren't.

The pregnant woman had no clue of Mark's drunken movements, half-way dressing himself and stumbling into the bathroom to attempt and empty his system of whatever could be disposed of. As she went to rouse him, he grabbed her by the arm and rather roughly pulled her into the bathroom, where the then dropped onto his back and pulled her with him.

"What are you-?" She started to say when he pulled her onto him, she was still half naked, after all. She pushed to get off of him, but he only grabbed her again and pulled her back ontop of him.

"DousetheLights." he slurred as he handed her one of her whips that laid on the floor within reach, she grabbed it with an angered grunt, he pushed off from her and scrambled backwards on his butt on the floor towards open balcony door and slid it shut while laying on his back, within the time span of a heartbeat, a hail of crossbow bolts slammed through the door and windows

Georgina flicked the whip and pulled herself aside out of the line of fire, looking to him she hit the floor with her open fist and hissed at him "Why the fuck didnt you tell me sooner ?!"

Mark just stared at her as crossbow bolts rained down through the now torn windows like wind driven rain between them, "I gave you the whip and you still didnt get it ?" He put out the next lamp as Georgina hit the candle in the next one before rolling to the side and using the whip she grabbed her black cloak and wrapping herself in it and setting with her back against a pillar as hellfire rained into the room silently for long moments around them save for the constant hammering into the floor

In five minutes the floor was covered in a rain of crossbow bolts blasted into the floorboards. Reaching out Georgina plucked one from the floor and saw clearly who it was from.

Templars.

But who where they aiming for ? Her ? Or Mark ?

Only Chinese Templars worked in this way. Did they track her that far ?

"Grab your shit and move." Mark growled. For still being hammered, he was surprisingly coherent, and he quickly got up and put on the rest of his clothing, mostly his shirt and cloak and boots before stumbling towards the door. It was then that a gang of men slammed through the broken windows and doors and charged the two Assassins.

This was one hell of a way to wake up.

 **Arendelle**

 **Unknown District**

 **At that same moment**

It was not what he held, but what he held, held.

Jr never looked towards his father behind him, he iknew/i his father was angry with him for his actions, and for barging in on him and his sister in his fathers study.

But all of that anger from his father faded as Draco behled what was hanging on the shadowy chain.

The fragment of an egg

The fragment of _Kethends egg._

There was no mistaking it. After all, Draco had given it to her when they mated. Kethend never took it off. And now her son, Draco Jr, had it.

Jr never looked towards his father, watching the street as his father stepped up to him and a gentle hand lifted the shadowy chain from his sons hand. "I saw her, Father. I... hugged her. She gave me this to give to you."

The silence of his father was deafening, yet Jr never faced him.

Finally Draco spoke "Come with me, Son. to my study,... Tell me everything your Mother told you." Draco took his son by ther shoulder and turned him to face him, what Jr saw was not a angered face, but a soft gentle one, his father, looking upon him with gentleness ? Was it because of what he did ?

 _Outside Georgina's ranvanged home_

A pair of amber eeyes watched as the lights went out one by one inside the home. A smile graced the young womans unseen face as Taris watched, beside her stood Zendu, she'd grown more confident in her abilities since her father had vbestowed the gift of Shadowling Creation upon her for finding out where her mother was kept away from them. her father wouldnt tell her what the Aaetherspace was or why it was so important, but she didnt dare tell her father that Jr had found a rift into the Aaetherspace somehow and crossed into it.

No, she kept that to herself.

So when her father wouldnt elaborate on the Aaetherspace and what it was; she instead chose the time to do a raid, but what she needed was the soldiers to do it with. And that meant getting a bunch of Templars to work with her, and in a swarm then rained hell on the house where she had watched, through Zendu the night before, Mark enter with Georgina, two birds, with one stone, so to speak. So she smiled then as one by one the lights within the house died out as crossbow bolts rained into the building from all angles. Filling with it hundreds of bolts.

For a moment the bolt rain halted at her unspoken command, she knew her father was watching. She watched the house carefully, as a door started to slide open she dropped her hand, two fingers were seen, two bolts were fired, the door snapped shut with a sudden soft CLACK followed by a soft thud of something squishy hitting the floor. Taris smiled, their job was done, she and Zendu dropped into a shadow, never seeing that Mark and Georgina were actually unharmed by any of the bolts that were fired.

It was time to report to her father of the success., upon returning to the house however she saw that her sisters were thankfully, or was that mercuifully, still in bed at their fathers orders. She herself went right to his study. She heard voices within, a subdued voice, and her fathers voice, her brother and her father ?

Taris listened, did Jr just mention their mother ?

 **Two days before**

 **Hebnes Norway**

 **Sunset**

" _Son..._ " The voice echoed, the closer he got t othe source, the stonger it became, soon it rang around him as he saw a rift in the air, sparks of green and golden light danced without a doorframe. The voice seemed to echo from it, it was louder, clearer. As much as Kethend wanted to be free of the Aaetherspace, the torn memories, only able to watch her children grow up, and search relentlessly for her. Now seeing one so close. The rift tor itself open, more strands of energy lanced around creating a door, a rip in space and time. A rip in the air, a gaping hole in reality " _Son... Junior... follow my voice... Come to me_ "

Jr. Listened to his mother's words, sheer desire to see her keeping him moving right direction. He floated just off the ground as he passed through the cave towards the rift in space-time. "Mother? W-where are you?" He called out, his eyes widening slowly as he saw the hole in reality. He slowly reached out towards it, his eyes wide and unblinking as he searched desperately for his Mother.

Thruogh the faint mist and the clear hole in reality Jr saw the faint reflection of what had to be someones front hall, " _Son ? Come to me my child, Come through the door_ " Her voice echoed through the rift in reality, seemingly from an ornate hall that looked as if built by his parents. Like the place where he was born. O nthe floor were fragments of a nest. Like a trail

When he hesitated she chuckled " _It is alright, I cannot come through to you, but you can come through to me. I have something for you. Something I want you to give to your father..._ " She said, very briefly he saw her, as if she was wiating for him. Which she was. in the main living room, her makeshift throneroom. The Aaethersdpace had provided for her for nearly thirty years. Soon she was going to be with her children and beloved again. Soon

As Jr. passed through the portal to the Aetherspace, he felt the sudden drag of reality behind him, and the further he went, the stronger the pull was back to reality behind him. But there was his mother! Muscling through it, he reached her, and wrapped his arms around her frame, and pressed his face into her chest, embracing his mother for the first time in years. He was shaking, both from emotion and from the force of the pull of the real world on his body. "W-what do you want me to have?" He asked, pulling away just a little, the strain on his body lessening slightly.

When her son stepped into her throneroom, as meager as it was without him his brother and sisters, she did the only thing she could, hug him; When he crashed into her she wrapped her own arms around his lanky frame and hugged him tightly. For a long moment she didnt speak. When they finally broke the hug her hand went to her neck and she held out her necklace. Removing it from around her neck she held it "My dear child. You are to give this to your father. I know he sent you and your sister Taris to find me. I've been watching you all grow up and search for me endlessly" She said softly

She took his hand in hers and placed her necklace, her eggshell necklace, in it then closed it. "When you give this to your father, he will know where it came from, he will know you found me, I will return soon. You are not banished as I was, The barrier between me and you all is weaknening by the day. Soon, I do not know when, but soon, I will with you. I promise." She pulled Jr into another tight hug, giving her son a gentle kiss on his forehead, tears of joy streaked from her eyes. When was the last time she had hugged her sons or daughters or even her beloved ?

As the eggshell was placed in his hand, he closed his fist around it gently, holding on tightly. "Yes, Mother...I will...Father will...I'll tell him right away." he said. As she kissed his forehead, the force of the pull from reality grew again, and began to slide him back to the rift, tears streaming down his own cheeks as he protested verbally and physically, trying to pull himself back to his mother's arms as he slid backwards, feet scraping against the aether floor. Screaming for his mother's embrace, Jr. was forced out of the Aetherspace, and was flung out of the portal as it then closed, but the air rippled as it weakened again with the passing of the day.

Biting his bottom lip to try and stop himself from breaking down with emotion, he swallowed hard and turned to return home. His Father must be told.

Her grip was strong, yet the pull of reality pulled them apart, she ran after him, She screamed for him and briefly their hands touched at the barrier, she pulled but it did no good. her son was torn from her hand and the barrier snapped shut lanuching her backwards into the center of her Aaether throneroom on the floor. Kethend scrambled to her feet and ran but four steps before collding with something unseen and halting hammering at the thin air that blocked her path she called for her son

But he could still hear her " _Son, Go, tell your father what you I said, give him my eggshell, He'll know your words are truth... I miss you_ "

 **Arendelle**

 **Unknown District**

 **Present Day 2052**

 **Draco's study**

As Jr. finished the story of how he was briefly reunited with his mother, Draco paused, contemplating the necklace in his hands, the fragile egg-shell held ever so gently in his powerful fingers as he examined it. He looked to Jr, eerily silent even by his own standards. Setting the egg-shell necklace in a box, which he then stowed in a drawer of his desk, Draco stood and moved to his son. Looking over his son; a literal spitting image of himself as a young Dragon; pure and untainted by the Wolf Queen or any other Dark Magic.

"Well done, my son." His voice was docile, and soft, almost quivering. For the first time since his own defeat at the hands of the Light, he was feeling more than simple Rage and hatred - now he was feeling pure unadulterated pride, and a sense of deep unfiltered longing for his beloved mate.

"Go tell your sibling what you found...I...I will think of your reward; it will not come quick, but you will get one..." he said.

Jr. nodded. "Yes Father." And with that, he turned to leave.

Taris heard it all tyhrough the door, she never knocked, she knew better, but her father seemed focused on her brother. But when her brother was neasrly done, getting to the point where he was torn from their mother by the pull of the barrier alone she had to leave the doorway else her father would hear her struggling not to cry.

By the time her brother found her Taris was infact practising with ther shadows, in the kitchen. She tried to act like she heard nothing, but there was a very faint whisp of shadow from her eyes, and not because pof the tendril whip her brother had done to her face. try as sjhe might, she couldnt heal the cuts across her brow or left eye, so she just said to herself, and also to Wintson, to screw it and not worry about it.

Seeing her brother however Taris was nervous, but he didnt look upset, more like downright confused. They both knew now where their Mother was, why she couldnt be with them. But the question remained,

How the hell where they gonna break the news to the Girls ? The two tasked with working with the Templars to find their mother ?

Arendelle

Castle Library

Midmorning

Mark rolled his head around, his neck popping audibly as he grunted. By this point, he was sober, and remembered nothing other than Georgina helping him to a bed and then leaving. That last part due to the combined efforts of Kalda and Light herself. He was hung-over though, the alcohol finally out of his system leaving him with a terrible headache and a foul mood, though he'd put on a smile for Elsa, at least for breakfast. He needed food anyway, if he was going to ever get rid of this headache. And water. A _**lot**_ of water.

Instructing Kai to bring a pitcher of water and to leave it for him, he sat at the table in the library and chugged down a glass before pouring himself another glass, waiting for Elsa to enter the room, as well as the chefs and the delectable meals they provided for breakfast each morning. Someone had already fed the birds for him earlier that morning since he was under attack at Georgina's house with all those cross bow bolts and those few thugs that popped up out of no where. He sighed, and leaned back in his chair, hood up to shade his eyes from the light of the room and sun.

Georgina was thankfully quite calm, though there was the hint of something behind her eyes, mirth, or happiness, only Light knew, But Serenity wasnt hearing any of it, more worried for her brother had he not made the body drop into her bedroom through that transport array. Thankfully Serena fed the birds that morning. Better than her that was for sure, though Ulnaus was,... weirdly, hammered off something. And also missing a few feathers from his butt. "OK let me get this straight brother dear, you met up with a Templar, played cards, then Georgina put you to bed ? Did I miss anything ?"

"Only that he got drunk and I got soaked in various drinks" Georgina said simply taking a sdeat at one fo the chairs in the library.

"Ahuh..." Serenity was amused, her brother drunk, "Wish I coulda been there, its been ages since we got loaded" Normally Serenity got drunk off paint thinner and stuff that could kill a mortal {like motor oil or cat food or raw meat}

"You're both too damn loud..." Mark growled in a hushed voice as he chugged another glass of water, not a single drop missing his lips and entering his body. He sighed and filled the glass again, setting the pitcher down and using both hands to massage at his temples. "Fuck this is the worst shit...who let my dumb ass go out and drink that much?" He growled in a hushed voice, obviously annoyed with this situation as his head pounded.

"Who got drunk ?" Came a softer voice as Elsa came into the library, she had a map of the kingdom with her along with the journal she and Mark had recovered near the Broken Arm Tavern. "Oh, good morning Georgina, Serenity, Mark what happened to you ?" Elsa asked seeing Marks predictament, thankfully sober, but hungover as all hell she looked at him confused before smiling and setting the map up "I hope this clears your hangover" She said The last district liberated, by Asaca, Diamond and Anna was next to a other liberated district known as the Daodojo District, though Elsa had no idea what it meant.

Georgina recognised it "Isnt this the district where there was fighting this morning ?" She asked, she remembered it was on the list of the four districts to lbierate from the council meeting the day before Elsa simply nodded

"It was liberated this morning while Sis was feeding the birds. Diana and I did it" Serenity said, her arms crossed, Mark saw then it wasnt a clean shot either. Serenity did normally go around with her feline features seen, but for once, scarily, she was fully human, and she had, Mark now noticed it, a bandange on her head covering one hell of a burn mark. "...Barely"

Mark waved to Elsa in greeting before going over the map with a critcal glare. Noticing the burn mark on his sister's head, he sighed. "I don't know whether to congratulate you on liberating another district or critique the sloppiness in which you did it." He said, pointing to the bandaged burn mark. "So I'll leave that to aunt Blackmane. What is the condition of the district as of this moment?" he asked before taking another swig of water. He needed some sunglasses to help block more light, but he didn't bring any, nor did he have any. He'd left them all in Cairo before leaving for Arendelle.

Serenity glared at her brother; "this guy knew where to aim, firearrows. Next district I liberate I'm not going tiger on the outset" She hissed, the banaged made it slightly hard to see and it also looked like she wore a turban. She did however smile when their aunt was mentioned "She said she'd leave it to you since Mother wasnt up yet" It was then clear who gave her the banaged, Aunt Blackmane

"Repairs, there's a building there called a dojo, I dont know what that means or even is, but I was told a firend of ... one of our recruits apparently, wanted to meet you there and aid in the repairs." Elsa said. She didnt named who was going to meet up with Mark, or why only that someone was to meet him at the place he was to oversee the repairs of. "She said she knew one of our recruits and can be of help. Wont say why either"

Plus it was odd, ever since Princess Fang had arrived in Arendelle Elsa's magic had gotten a little... agressive... which explained why her dress looked... more like armor and her cape wasnt sheer anymore.

There was a basket next to Serenity, one that Mark easily recognised as belonging to a certain... thing that belonged to his sister. How she brought the basket along for her RC truck only Snowfeather knew. the fact she had the truck to begin with made everyone wonder where it came from and what it was... At least Olaf wasnt hugging the thing to death

"The Templars in these Districts we're aiming for have had time to prepare and train. The sight of a tiger running around will only make them pause for a maybe a moment. Plus you're too slow in that form; I'm not sure why you insist upon using it." Mark said, since Blackmane left the decision up to him, he chose to berate his sister on her sloppiness. He ignored the hiss; while he didn't like her tone, he wasn't going to do anything about it, it wasn't his place to discipline his sister for her attitude, nor was he in the mood to try.

He called Kai over and decided that straight black coffee would be better for him to sober up quickly. With that, he picked up the pitcher of water and was quick to chug the thing down, dripping only a few drops onto the flared lapel of his coat. "Repaires, huh? Alright...dunno why I would need to be involved too much though...unless the found a Vault." he narrowed his eyes over the map, straining to use his Eagle Vision to examine it, overlaying it with a memory of the district from his own collection, where he would think the Wolfe Vault would be. Before he could pinpoint it his head throbbed and his eyes blurred, causing him to grunt and lean back, rubbing at his temples again.

"Once I don't want to shoot myself I'll head down to the district...see what I can do." he said, closing his eyes and sighing in pain.

"I'd say its because of the gangs we ran into" Serenity said, she hissed again at the pain but she knew her brother meant well, She smirked "You never said that in Egypt when we were training!. Or when the nighbors cat got you..." the faint scars on her left arm were seen on her fingers as she pressed her hand to her bandange. "We were expecting only templars, not gangs. We were swarmed and one of them distracted me enough for me to get shot by the templar we were after." She said.

Elsa nodded "Yes, this district is a heavy gang activity area; nobody knows why or where they operate from, only. there's a lot of them, and they have a weird symbol on their clothing" She nodded to Serentiy who withdrew from her belt a heradband, it bore a mix of both Templar, Assassin and something else of a symbol on it. it looked like seven white wings with a cross in the center

Mark groaned and rolled his head forward to examine the headband. Other than Kalda stirring as he saw the symbol, Mark blinked. "Oh...It's those guys...what was there name..." He snapped his fingers a few times as he tried to recall the name. "We hunted them in Egypt...The uh, Dragon... DragonWatch! The DragonWatch! That's it. I think they used to be legit some forty years ago...now they're just a gang. But what the hell are they doing this far north?" he shook his head and thanked Kai as the man brought him a a large mug of black coffee, steaming hot and filling the room with the sobering smell of coffee.

Mark took a swig and shivered. "Oh that's good..." he seemed a bit relieved and took another swig and sighed, yawning. "Alright, so we got the Templars and The DragonWatch in Arendelle. Great. Looks like I gotta do some hunting of my own... But first, there's some repairs to do, no?" He asked, drinking that coffee like it was water now.

"Oh well that's great, those freaks are here too ? Why so far north ?" Elsa looked confused, who were these two talking about. Serenity wasnt happy, "We had to rescue Nalia from them I remember, really nasty bunch too." Either way... "They had stuff, technology from Those Who Came Before; it wasnt a Piece persei, but... something made by a Piece or UI of one" She explained the weird quarterstaff weapons the gangmenbers used. they seemed to really upset Diana who said something about Not being what they were designed to be when they originally came to be or some such

Elsa however did nod when Serenity quieted and picked up the ghostly white trucklike thing from its basket and set it on the floor. the magnetic coil engine inside kept it running and it never needed a charge or battiers, which cut down on the weight. "yes, repairs are to this building" She tapped on the map then where she spoke of. It was there Mark saw was the heart of Gang activity. It wasnt a iPrecoursor Vault/i No, by the design of the buildings layout alone it was a iEagle Vault!/i Was that why their guest, unnknown as she was to Mark, was there ?

"Good luck" Elsa said,. Serenity was to be seen to by the healers however, thankfully Kaedrian was getting better at healing such wounds and not winding herself

 **Arendelle**

 **Daodojo District**

 **20 minutes later**

Mark arrived at the scene of the rebuilding of the Dojo with a literal pot of black coffee in one hand, and the rolled up blue prints in another. He took a swig of coffee before setting the pot down and unrolling the plans, some Assassin builders surrounding the table as he spoke clearly about what needed to be done. "Get the paint done first after the walls and insulation are up. Then put up the racks for the weapons and stuff. I want only the sub-floor down during that. Once everything else is done, the Tatami Mats go down last so they aren't damaged by someone's boot or someone dropping something onto them. Those things cost more than your belt buckles." Mark pointed to the Arendelle Assassin's Crest on the belts of each Assassin, which weren't cheap as they had to be hand forged each time. The exact price was known to the blacksmiths and to Snowfeather.

"Let's get to work! I want a round the clock guard shift as well, if shit goes down...well, do something stupid, I'll come to scream at you and if you're lucky the problem will present itself to me so I can kill it first. Got it?"

The guards all nodded and dispersed as construction began. Mark mainly oversaw the thing, the coffee helping him sober up more as he discussed plans with other builders and soon-to-be students of the dojo where the Assassin's would teach their new recruits, but also the citzens of Arendelle how to fight and defend themselves from harm, so that when such a time as the Assassin's must leave, the citizens can defend themselves from outside attack easilly enough.

As the workmen and Assassins got underway that left Mark in the main room by himself, the blueprints ont he only table, and the pot of coffee in hand let me a moment to think exactly what he should do aside from drink coffee and look at blueprints, Almost bored and wanting to fight somebody or find the vauklt that he could feel nearby when a voice broke in on his thoughts. "Oy! 'ho said you could come into 'ur home ?" A thick accented voice grumbled as two men pretty much fell out of a nearby closet as a dozen others stormed in from outside

With one man keeping watch at the road, and the rest scattered in the outer courtyard, that left the mob to surround Mark, none of them barefoot or even wearing socks. Two of them got close to mark who simply took a sip of his coffee after raising it in a toast. One of them mnen looked to the leader of the bunch "I aint seen him before" Said the man

But the other had. The eyes of the smaller man widened "I know him!" The man said pointing at Mark. "In Egypt, him... and that cat we burnt this morning! Near the pyramids!" Ah yes, The Great Pyramid fist fight; what fun that indeed was. But that got the leaders attention clearly.

"Cheers mates." Mark then chugged the last half-pot of his coffee before moving like a blur and slamming the pot over the closest's man's head, knocking him out entirely. Mark watched him flop onto the ground and blinked, dropping the mug. "Huh..." Another man then came up behind Mark and grabbed him over the arms, to which Mark responded by dropping his weight, and then jumping back and flopping hard on top of the man, cracking multiple ribs, and possibly puncturing a lung based on the blood the man coughed up later.

Getting up with a roll, mark lowered into his more favored Tiger Style stance, his armor and clawed gauntlet's appearing on his body as then the rest of the gang engaged him, the older members who had faught him back in Egypt able to put up quite the match for the now older and wiser Mark, who quickly dismanteled that advantage by using his claws to scratch at the arms as they blocked his strikes, and then using the time in between their flinches to come in and elbow their faces in before turning swiftly with a hook kick to the face of another man. Stooping low, mark grabbed the body of the first man he knocked out, and using his turning momentum, picked him up and flung him at two other's, making them slam over the table and land on each other.

Mark settled into his stance again and smirked. "You boys haven't learned from last time, have you?" he asked, fighting off a yawn.

The leader of the group grunted and motionedf for his men to swarm Mark, only to stop as there came a resounding yell from outside...

 **CRASH**

Everything stopped, the men about to attack Mark stopped midswing and spun around as a member of their gang smashed apart a market stall and a woman, dressed in silver and black with long white hair stepped into view. Stepping from Mark the leader of the gang called to the woman "Hey! Who are you ?"

The woman smirked and spoke, her voice rang with a strange almost melodic tone "While it is true the words of the man are words of a known killer, in truth there is no other way of calling it what it really is. Death and destruction, control and governance. It is this truth that the enemy wants kept hidden and all secrets laid bare." The woman was walking forwards into the courtyard as she spoke.

Finally she halted and looked at the three dozen men and women of the gang surrounding them, "But in light of that truth, there is one so much better that men fail to see." She smirked at the gang leader. "Your head, on a pike."

"Get her!" the gang leader screamed. The woman never went for her whip or battlefans as she flung her hat aside and brought up her hands, the first man to strike her was stopped dead in his tracks as she brought her hands up, Fang flipped the man aside as the next man came running at her. Mark stepped back, watching the woman fight, well this was interesting, oddly nice to have some help, then again this woman was different, unlike any he had witnessed in battle

Princess Fang never drew her weapons as she flipped another man onto his back, another man crashing into his fellow dropping them both to the ground. the last two of the group on the ground hit the ground with their ears bleeding and their heads ringing as their heads were slammed together. With a sudden kick of her feet, the last man was sent hurtling into the dojo steps where he lay still. Princess Fang then stepped forwards, and after removing her socks, stepped into the Dojo, and bowed briefly, then all hell broke loose with her at its core

Mark watched how the woman moved while she fought. It was interesting, He studied her fighting style, it looked like a mixture of Aikido, Judo, Karate, and... was that Shaolin? Interesting combination indeed, though his own style was odd too, a mixture of both Chinese and Hebrew Tiger styles, Boxing, Muay Thai, Krav Maga, and a few other Martial arts, her particular combination of arts was strange, almost exotic to see, but it was extremely effective.

At least she took off her shoes and socks before going into the actual practice floor, even if the mats weren't down yet. As she downed the last gang member, Mark's eyes flashed silver for a moment and he blinked, a shot of pain running through his mind before he righted himself and applauded the performance.

"Would it be safe to say you're on my side?" He asked the woman before him. "Miss...?"

Ducking first a wild swing, then a full knockout punch from a pair of DragonWatch members, Fang easily dodged a third member and sent him flying backwards after catching his kick with her bare hand and sending him in a heap into his fellows. For the moment it was briefly calm as she stepped fully into the dojo's main practise room completely barefoot. Her amber eyes showed a hint of mirth of some form, She never saw one man aim at her to grab her by the hair.

She held a finger up to Mark as her hair was grabbed and she was pulled backwards. The man who had her by the hair had a lighter in his hand while another had a paint can, it was how Serenity had gotten burnt in the face. But what these two werent expecting were two solid whacks to the jaws directly, first from her head into the man who pulled her hair, then both her fists dead to the second mans chin. She grunted something and turned away, easily tripping a third guy aiming to tackle her

Stepping up to Mark she smiled; "Master Wolfe I presume ? I am Fang; My father sent me to do two tasks most critical to a mutual friend of ours and... a hobby of yours." A hobby, apparently she had been well informed. As she spoke the men began to gain their feet, but one of them went to the street where more were waiting. The DragonWatch was a massive gang, and they'd been waiting, after all, this Dojo was their primary building. And it was being invaded

She then held her hands up towards Mark, one hand was balled into a fist, while the other was open with her fist set against it. "Forgive me, but I havent time to explain..." Explain what ? Out of nowhere a left cross was launched, but it nailed the guy directly behind Mark...

Mark hardly moved however as the cross moved past his head to the face of the guy behind him. His armor glowing gently, Mark then moved to a duck and lifted Fang by the hips, tossing her into the group of Gang members, knowing she'd be able to handle herself. "A pleasure to meet you." he said after tossing her, and then jumping into the group himself, super-man punching the first guy he saw, and dropping the guy with a shattered cheek bone.

From there on out it was all out chaos as the gang fought the two of them ferociously for their building back. Mark's assassin comrades stayed within the building and worked together to keep it free of gang members, using whatever was available as weapons. Mark on the other hand, was quite content to use his hands and feet, elbows and knees, and even his head, to do the job. As two of his hands were caught by a particularly large gang member, he kneed the man in the crotch, which forced him to bend over, where then Mark slammed his forehead into the man's nose, using the momentum of the guy travelling backwards to drag his claws along his sides, and even cut a nerve in between the muscle fibers, causing the guy to open his mouth in pain, as a silent scream of sheer un-questionable pain filled him.

Mark turned, narrowly avoiding a kick to the face before grabbing the man's leg, and then kicking out his balance leg. He overhooked the man's foot, getting him in an ankle lock and snapping his bone in half before using the same lock to fling him to the side into his comrades. A punch landed on Mark's back, however his armor took the brunt of it and the man snapped his own wrist from it. Mark turned and smirked, holding back a laugh before slamming a right cross in to the man's jaw.

Mark then narrowly dodged another punch towards his face, grabbing the man's wrist and then slamming an elbow into the guy's ribs he fire-man carried the guy up before slamming him down on his knee. That man never walked again. Someone managed a hit to Mark's head then, turning, the Wolfe Clan Leader found a scrawny boy who looked as though he'd just joined the gang a month ago. Sighing Mark slapped him across the face, and left some claw marks on his cheek from his claws. "Go home, boy. This isn't the life for you."

A couple of women then jumped on Mark, one dragging his head towards the ground, another two jumping on his back. Mark stumbled forward before deepening his stance, and rocketing two upercuts into the gut of the woman grabbing his head since she was in front of him. He then used the momentum of being pulled back by the other two to knee her in the jaw and knock her out before shifting his center of gravity and turning, the two on his back now in front of him. He likewise launched some uppercuts into their bellies, and then jumped up to kick them both back with his heels before landing on the ground and getting up. A smile spread across his face, he hadn't had this much fun in a fist fight for a while.

She was aiming to knock out Mark to get at the vault, compeltely not expecting his grabbing her by the hips and chucking her back at the gang, reacting fast she twisted her body into a roll and knocked out two of the gang with her feet before bouncing against a wall and standing up. Easliy ducking and dodging strikes she dealt equally in return. However each of her strikes met their mark as intended. When mark kicked one of the women Fang easily twisted out of the flying girls path, catching her only to get spat in the face. Fang simply smirked, a flick of the fist later and the woman flew out the busted front window

Fang stepped forwards towards a wall and walked up it, flipping over compeltely and grabbing off the wall a broken decrative fan and used it as a weapon. A sweep of the fan sent one man out the broken window, his hand to his throat to stop the flow of blood as Fang was already on the fourth guy with whack and slice of the fan met with a assuring SMACK or a sickly slice.

Finally she got to Mark, the man focused on the guy in front of him never saw her coming for the moment before she threw the fan and nailed the guy Mark was fighting with. At that point she stood next to him; a finger poked at his nose "I will forget you did that" She said, a smirk on her face as she nochalantly brought up a fist and caught a man dead in the nose by stonewalling the guy in his tracks

"As I said" Fang continued "I've no time to explain fully" She then launched a strike... at him.

Mark blinked at quite literally being booped on the nose, not used to that. "Explain wha- oh!" He was hit square in the forehead, and he hopped back a few feet and shook his head, more of an annoyed look than pain on his face as he then hopped back towards Fang, a single tiger claw strike aimed for her neck followed by a swipe to her head, which then turned into a spinng backwards elbow towards her head as well, Mark knowing that based on her fighting style he'd need to keep moving if he wanted to do anything to her. She relied heavilly on being stationary and balance from what he saw, he could counter that.

As his strike came she simply smiled, and span out of his strike, dodging at the last possible second, her hair spun out and caught a gangmember dead in ther face, sending the man flying into his fellows. The fight was still on, and it looked like it truly was a free for all. Truth was, Fang knew of Marks hobby, well, Asaca called it a hobby, finding the Vaults. But she had to find the Eagle Vault before Mark tried to gain entry, the traps the Eagles knew by heart were set on each one. Not even the DragonWatch could get past them

Which was why she was there. She span again, narrowly dodging the elbow to the nose, however he did manage to get her with his second swing after the elbow, of course by then she laid on the broken wood floor flat on her back, her arms up defending hersdelf from his claws as her right foot snapped up out of nowhere and struck at the back fo his unhelmeted head from behind the same second another DragonWatch gangmember tried to attack them both. Fang saw the man and using her foot wrenched up a piece of flooring and sent it flying into the mans path

The man dropped like a sack of grain. But now the floor was broken up and a visible hole was seen, a good dozen more men below them. Oh joy

"I just had this floor fixed!" Mark growled as he rubbed his head from her kick. The men from beneath poured their way to the surface and again it was a free for all. Mark had no trouble with the gang member's, but would occasionally throw a jab or a kick towards Fang, seeing as she was going to do the same to him. He let his armor do a lot of work that day, and a lot of Gang member's left with broken bones from trying to hit him hard.

He turned and aimed a leg sweep at Fang's feet, followed by a shift of weight and a round house towards her chest, borrowing the move from Capoeira before rolling to his feet, hyper extending another gang member's knee with his body and making the man drop like a screaming sack of potatoes, which was then silenced by a foot to the face while Mark stood and turned to face Fang, his only real threat now.

"Yeah, in the other room" Fang retorted, the truth was the floor had indeed been fixed before the gang arrived, heck just as Mark himself had arrived there. Which also made the next bit just a bit more complicated as Mark swept her feet out from under her then sent her skidding on the floor, her silver armor rang at the connection of his own armored fists connecting with her chest. She slid along the floor and right into the hole she'd made with a sudden oddly familar screech of an Eagle.

Wait... what ?

From the hole there were sounds of combat, hard thuds and whacks where heard then a pair of men were launched up therough the hole like missles, slaming into the wall and one right out the front door. Further sounds of thuds, very hard whacks, and a loud gut wrenching CRACK and somebodys eyeball plopped onto the floor at the edge of the hole before a man screamed before falling over dead

The lower level was cleared... Perfect. And there was one of the many traps too on the nearby wall. Flicking a hand to her ear she pulled a long silver feather, a flick of the wrist and the feather was thrown like a knife thrower at a carnival fair event. Dead on target too.

Mark watched the carnage with interest. She'd just screeched like an Eagle. That made her much more interesting. Hopping down into the lower level after she was done with the gang members, he landed with a hard thud on the ground, the ground shaking with his weight as he slowly drew into a balanced stance, a mixture of Tiger Style and a Tae Kwon Do stance, with one open claw and one closed fist. However, as Fang went into what appeared to be a more Crane-like stance, he shifted to pure Tiger Style, and for a moment, his eyes shifted yellow before returning to the silver rimmed brown.

His knees bent low and he waited for a moment, before moving like a pounce, to slash and overwhelm her defenses quickly. He was fighting like he wanted to kill, but knew he only wanted to pin her and make her talk about what she was really here for.

Fang waited until the last possible second before bringing up her hands to defend herself, moving fast she blocked, parried and then struck, her arms crossed she grabbed at his wirsts as he forced her to backtrack until she was near a wall, then using his strengh she easily sprang up the wall to put her weight onto him. Which honestly was at the very least half of that of Elsa alone; possibly even less than that!. Trading strikes from her new perched she launched a fast flurry of sharp jabs, her hands set like the claws of a bird... like an Eagle.

She was fast too. yet her clothing had a bird on it, it was obvious by her silver and black dress design, the stilver eagle glittered in the dim light around them. It was either a tribal sigl, or something else. In truth it was both a tribal sigl, and something else, it was who and what she was. After about five straight minutes of nothing but their fists whacking at each other it stopped. their fists locked.

It was then a soft click was heard from the wall as the trap unlocked. One down, a dozen more to go

As their fists locked, Mark let out a huff, his claws threatening to break the skin of her hand before he used leverage to move her hands inwards, forcing her arms to cross and therefore her to lean forwards towards him. He released her hands and moved to slash at her belly in a cross slash with both of his claws while also aiming a headbutt up to her chin while coming up onto his toes. When that didn't work as he'd hoped he lifted his arms to lift her up over his head and then slam her on the ground before resuming his stance and letting out a low hiss from his throat.

She was partly expecting him to use his own weight against her. But not what he was planning or aiming for as her arms went close to her chest she kept her distance, but when he tried to headbut her in ther chin she tried to break free of his viselike grip only to find herself flat on her back as he lifted her up and over his head to the floor with a twist of his body. Then he broke away and she easily rolled to her feet.

Or rather, to one knee, her hands once again up in a hand to a fist. "You fight well to be expected. Though unexpected as well" She said simply. "I had to be sure I could trust you. Now I see that I can"

Mark's fingers rolled slowly into a more relaxed state, but he didn't move regardless. "And you as well...though...since you seem to know of my little...hobby, why doubt my trustworthiness?" he asked.

"Because of what you seek" She said in reply, she got to her feet and went to the now unlocked door picking up the long silver feather, almost as if it were a peacock or pheasent feather of how long it was. But its shade of silver gave off a hint of deja vu. Didnt Ulnaus tussle with a silver bird three times his own size ? Sure Ulnaus was the size of a Ford Probe sports car, but the bird he briefly tussled with was the size more of a Ford F450 super duty truck! "I had to be sure I could trust you. Combat was the only way."

Mark's eyes narrowed and he rose from his stance slowly, lowering his hands as he let his body relax and begin to recharge. Construction resumed as planned above, the hole was patched, and the dojo continued it's repairs. "Well...there's more ways of getting a person's trust...I myself prefer to tell them a secret then take them out drinking; see what they can do under pressure and while drunk. But combat works too, I suppose." Mark said.

But how did she know what he was seeking? he rolled his head and his neck cracked again and he yawned quickly before following her.

"I prefer combat. it is simply a test, and also a means of keeping one on their toes" Fang replied sliding the feather into her right sleeve it disappeared. She pressed a slender hand against the seeming cement stone wall and a door slid open unseen, presumably used to hold a statue by the indenting of the wall that held the door.

Fang smiled and went toit asnd looked it, within was a pale glow of light along the floor and ceiling. She turned to Mark. "I feel that I can trust you. there are twelve traps on this path. You seek something here. Something... that I was sent to retrive." It was a scroll, a scroll of Light to aid with bringing her daughter back to full power... somehow

Ok, how did she know he sought vaults ?

He furrowed his eyebrows. He sought out the Wolfe Vaults in particular, but this...this was not one of them; there were no markings to suggest so. Whatever was inside was different. But... Mark blinked, it wasn't he who wanted the Scroll, but Kalda. Kalda wanted it to bring Xeir Zith back to strength. He smirked, that sly Dragon.

Mark nodded softly. "Well, I'll be honest with you I didn't know this vault was here, not truely, and nor did I know how to open it. Nor did I know there were any traps...this is not a vault of my Family." He said. Only members of the Wolfe Clan could open a Wolfe Vault, and though he hadn't tested the theory, he had a gut feeling that they wouldn't open if the one trying to open it was being rushed or forced. otheriwse, who knows how many Wolfe Members would still be alive.

He sighed and gestured for Fang to lead the way; he'd follow her.

"That is because it is not of your family. But of mine." She simply said beckoning him to follow as she stepped into the self lit hall that led downwards. Her family... Who was her family ? It didnt make any sense when one thought about it carefully. Fang fought like... well... like a Eagle or a well trained Monk from somewhere in the world. For being three times Marks own age she didnt look a day over twenty. But she fought with experience.

As Mark stepped into the hall behind her the door slid shut behind them as if it was never opened. "Mind your step, the path islaid with traps. I will have to deactivate them in turn as we come across them." She said. Fang smiled then at the unasked question. "Purple and Pink... ask her how I know of your... hobby" She meant Asaca

Wait how did Asaca know ? oh right, duh, Diamond... and Marion... but Mark didnt know that... yet. Not even Kalda knew that Diamond was reborn. It was eleven traps later when they were in a large white walled room with unseen light in silver. A single item laid on a pillar in the middle of the room. But there was still one last trap to pass. So Fang asked while pointing at the scroll. "Why do you seek that ?" the vault itself was unlike any of the Wolfe Vaults in any manner it was completely different in style and design, there was no writing on any of the walls. and twelve traps were insane!

 **Arendelle Marketplace**

 **At that same moment**

For once she managed to get out of the castle by herself. Anna she couldnt find so she left the castle to do just that. Wandering among the Marketplace Elsa asked around if any had seen her sister, the Princess, none had. Elsa went to a nearby eatery and asked around there as well; one of the men at table watched her carefully. Another two joined the man at table and began to eat as the three conversed. "That her ? the queen of this place ? Is she the one we're to nab ?" Said one of the three

The first man at the table, the one the other two joined, nodded, and the third answered. "Yea, that's her. Beautiful aint' she? Rumor has it she's got it bad."

"Got what?' said the other.

"Y'know."

"No...why else would I ask?"

"Damn your dense. Look at her. That's a woman in love. Whether she knows it or not." the man said. The other face-palmed.

Oh this was gonna be a long day, "Wait let me get this straight" the one that asked what their target had. "We're gonna nab a girl in love with a guy ?" Was he truly that dense ? He had to be. "What do we hit her with ? A normal 'hi how you doin'' isnt gonna suffice and this street is too crowded to just up and nab her" The second guy to sit down however had been keeping an eyeon the rooftops looking out for the hooded folk.

"Do you see any ?" he asked their boss, the guy they sat with.

"Uh..."

"Shit man I thought you had a plan. You're in charge here ain't you?"

"Well...she's coming this way...I think she's looking for someone, have one of us lead her somewhere without as much people then nab her?"

"That's not a bad idea...in fact I think it'll work.

"Flip a coin, who does it?" the man pulled out a fifty-cent peice and positioned it on his thumb. "Ready? I'm calling heads!" he said, flipping it.

The second man called Heads as well, and the third man called Tails.

The coin flipped and landed on the table. Tails. The first man to sit down at the table little over an hour ago, would not be the bait. "Again! Heads!" the second guy called. The other one called Tails. The coin flipped, landed, spun a little, and then it stopped. Tails. Loser is Bait.

The first man a the table smirked, the dense member of their little sdad bunch was their bait, wel lthis was gonna be good. The loser, a man, aptly named Densr grumbled, "Alright I'll do it, where do I lead her ?" He was already forming a plan, his opening line to her in fact, "EWjho she into anyhow ? She strikes me as someone really important, so who'd she go for given her bearing ?"

"Dunno; figure it out." the other said. He was a slender and tall man, who had earned himself the nick name Sarc, for his sarcasm. He rolled his eyes at the next question. "I hear it's one of those Assassin's that run around the Palace all the time. Wears a green cloak usually."

"Green cloak ey... I got this" Densr drank down the beer set before him then got up. He held up two fingers and sat his ass right back down "Almost forgot, gimmiew two minutes then follow, We'll aim for the alley behind this diner" At Sarc's nod after looking to their boss Densr got up, faking being drunk he grabbed up a green cloak but not hooded, off a nearby coatrack then went out the side. he had a queen to lure

A few meters off was an alley, he went while putting the cloak on he waited for Elsa to get close enough to him before motioning to her "Hey, dear lady over here. Come here yeah." Elsa saw him at first but was hesitant, then she saw the green cloak, was he one of Marks personal trained group ? He looked new...

Elsa went over to him, not many recognised her since her dress started changing coloration, but still. "Do I know you ?"

Densr shook his head at the question. "No but I got orders to keep you safe by the boss himself" Elsa nodded, then why was he in the alley ? "He's this way" He pointed deeper into the alley that turned a hard left after about two dozen meters behid the resturant, he was mentally counting off the seconds, and nearly hit 90 seconds since leaving hr table, about now the boss and Sarc were in their posts and he just had to walk past them so they could tase the target and they'd head off. At Elsas nod she followed him into the alley

As the two minutes was up, Elsa would begin to realize that she'd been fooled. Turning, the two other men, Sarc and the boss, stood behind her. "Sorry about this, but it's for your own good." Sarc said, a blow dart gun raised to his lips. He gave a big puff and the sleep-dart lodged itself perfectly into Elsa's slender neck. "Grab her 'fore she falls." the guy said.

Densr did just that, and lifted her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Go get the van, we gotta get her to the rv point without her getting seen by the populous...if her boyfriend shows up we'll have to fight; and from what I've heard about Arendelle's Assassin Branch, I'd rather not." Everyone in the CIA by now knew that Arendelle was heavilly and very expertly defended by the Assassins, Mark in particular, though they didn't know his name, was mentioned frequently in the reports.

"Right got it" Sarc went to get the van after watching his target drop like a sach kf potatos as Densr managed to snag her. Hopefully they could do this without getting cornered like they were before. "We can take the serwers if we have to, some of those areas are wide for a car." Yeah sure, the last time they went near a sewer the place collapsed and they were ambushed by a hot woman who was pissed off to no end. Sarc seemed to remember that and said "Forget the sewers lets go" He opened the back door of the van; with the Silent Mode active they could get out of the city unseen by anyone and also unheard,

But as Elsa's neck was struck with the sleep dart the last trap within the Eagle Vault was disabled, and the scroll glowed a bright sky blue before it faded to a plain old ice like scroll of glass as Fang snatched it up. Something just happened for that scroll to glow like it did, but what ?

 **Six hours later** the van pulled up to a large dark colored building on six large wheels. they were at the half way point, the RV was their ticket out of there. new driver, the works. The three men piled out and carried their out cold charge into the thing, a moment later the van was left at the rental car counter nearby, and the RV was on the road. heading south towards a city called Gilja; about another nine hours due south.


	37. Sequence 9 Memory 3

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 9**_

 _ **Memory 3: Chain of Memories**_

 **16 Feburary 2052**

 **Marketplace District Den**

 **Dawn**

 _"In this world, nothing is certain but death and taxes, only thing, death dont get worse every time Congress meets"_

 **\- Random standup comedy actor**

Ever since the night before, When Mark once again returned home quite late, with a lady friend that was inot/i the queen, who held a scroll seemingly made of glass, it was rather interesting to say in thel east, the owman looked not familar one bit, brilliant long waist length white hair, amber brown eyes, and clearly strong. But it was late and Snowfeatrher never pressed for info from the strange woman who had a bird, a silver hawk or the like upon her chest, the sheer design of her dress alone screamed something about birds.

But it was much later when, after Fang had left the Den, that the Tigris members of the family within the Marketplace Den went to bed. Snowfeatherherself was on her last nerves thanks to recent aquisitions made in terms of a dozen unwanted houseguests that just wouldnt leave and let her sleep. A bunch of ghosts, they were all faceless things, yet they all looked alike. Each one looked alike, and each looked like someone important to their maker, unless they were something else, clones of one ghost maybe ?

It didnt matter.

Stepping onto the stairs Snowfeather looked up towards the second level of the den and saw one of the ghosts at the top looking down on her, goading her to attack, With a growl Snowfeather was on the ghostlike creature in a heartbeat, grabbing the thing by the belt while still on the stairs just a few steps below the creature, Snowfeather then rolled herself and laid backwards on the stairs head downwards towards the lower floor, rolling down the stairs and pulling the ghostlike creature off its feet and using her feet to launch the ghost at the door below. The creature slammed into it, then got back up unhurt.

Well this want good. Snowfeather sprawled on the stairs forced herself to her side to she then withdrew one of her many swords, the long blade had exceptional reach, buit in narrow spaces, either she was crazy or she had something planned as she stabbed the thing into the wall to bar the ghostly critters to getting up the stairs she then laid backdown, like a tiger trap of a sort.

In the bedroom however where three people slept soundly in the predawn hours. Something flicked Marks nose, the gentle thud of something hitting the floor with a muffled growling wafted through the buried in blankets head to reach the ears and waken the brain trhe same moment the face was touched. The albino Shadowling titled its head as Mark gave no initial response as the sibling to the strange creature had begun to tussle with the massive cat in the bed and the two had rolled off with another grunt. All this playing in bed had to wake the boy up somehow

Mark's eyes snappped open and he sat up, his arm reaching out and grabbing his Desert Eagle from under his Pillow, Anti-magic rounds loaded as he aimed for the strange creature in his room, and squeezed the trigger.

 _ **BANG**_ the shot rang out throughout the building, followed by another, the anti-magic properties of the rounds searing the creature's flesh and forcing it to melt and disintigrate into nothing. Mark blinked, his eyes blazing Silver.

 _"'bout time you woke up, Mark."_ Kalda's words echoed. Mark didn't respond to that, but instead, wondered what the hell was going on.

"What the fuck!?" he yelled out, still sitting up in his bed.

An orange and brown furred hand snapped up as mark watched his sister fighting with a ghostly creature; One was gone, But there were still more to be had. With a feral growl Serena arched her back and with her foot sent the strange ghost into the closet door where it crashed against it. Serena threw a knife off her brothers belt, the ghost dropped at the last second, the knife slammed home but missed the ghost. "The hell are these things ?"

Serenity slept like a stone; her face nolonger bandaged she was slowly waking up not seeing her brother with his gun aimed at a gost reacghing for her own face like it had her brother. Serenity started to wake up. "Will you two please keep it down I'm tryi... WHOA!" Serenity freaked out, a ghost that close she kicked, hard as she could, sending the thing flying and slamming into her brother

Her gaze snapped towards the bedroom door where a hard THUD was heard from, What a way to wake up!

Mark Growled as another creature slammed into him, as it clawed at him he grabbed it by the throat and let another few rounds of .50 caliber anti-magic goodness into its body, it crumpled and disinitigrated. Mark sighed, looking to his sisters. "Put something on and help get rid of these things." He knew his sister, Serenity was pretty much naked under her blankets, a habit she gained from sleeping in the heat of the Egyptian desert while on missions where they needed to operate at night only, and sleep during the day. He stood and secured his belt ot his hips, on it were many knives, a few extra magazines of anti-magic ammo, and a holster for his gun, but he kept it in his hand for now.

He stood by the door and peered out of it, growling. "I'm not waiting, let's go." he growled, literally jumping down the stairs and drop-kicking the creature at the foot of them, the very one that Snowfeather was fighting. He used it to cushion his fall, and unloaded a round into its head. "Morning." he said to his adoptive mother curtly as he stood up.

Serenity grunted with a nod to her brother, Thankful that it was her brother and not a random stranger. With a flick of the wrist she grabbed up her clothing as her sister bounded out the door in her tiger form, For a brief moment Serenity was for wont of a better word, forlorn at the mere fact she couldnt do that at that moment. her hand briefly went to her face. which sans bandage was still very scarred. her aunt had healing abilites, but they didnt work exactly as desired right off the bat. Serenity grunted and grabbed up her swords. With one she implaed one of the ghosts still in the room before kicking the other out into the hallway.

Snowfeather, laying on her back, looked down to her son, "Good morning son, I hope we didnt wake you" She said before bringing up a foot allowing Serena to perch on it and fly to the next landing beside Mark and tackle a albino Shadowling dead on.

From the kitchen came a yell, cleaerly Blackmane unhappy about something important. "Oy! Get the hell outta my kitchen!" bKLANG/b Something got hit with a pan pretty darned hard because it went flying into the living room. When it started to get back up the cast iron fry pan slammed into the head of the thing beforeit faded into its own shadow.

Wait... What ?

Serena saw it and pointed a clawed hand towards it "Kan alllaenat dhillak ?" She asked in Arabic, translated as 'the fuck was that' Was she the only one that saw it... melt away ? Only for it to reappear directly between her and Mark, which allowed for Serentiy to slam dead into it like a runaway freighttrain, sword stabbing into it in six different ways before the thing once again melted away.

Mark shook his head. "Nah, woke up with one of these things tickling my face. Also I gotta pee but that's a different story." he said sarcastically. He was about to fire his gun at the shadowling between he and his sister before his other sister slammed into it and made it melt away. He stood and helped Snowfeather to her feet.

"I see Aunt Blackmane is still as protective as ever of her kitchen...good to know." He said idly.

Wrenching her sword from the door she implaed the thing on before it melted away Serenity grunted something. Pointing at the remains of the one in the hallway that her brother had shot and somehow destitigrated. "What was that ?" She meant the bullets, how the hell did he figure out how to make antimagic rounds ? Did he have access to a Piece ? "How did you kill it ?" Well she wanted to ask that only she couldnt as from behind her, and her sister another one of those things formed and whacked their heads together with a solid CRACK to knock them out

Which sadly got Snowfeathers undevided attention

Grabbing her sons hand to get to her feet she turned her smile disappearing as she heard her son speak of just waking up and to one of the things tickling his face, turning in time to see another one of the things clonk her daughters heads together to knock them, briefly, senseless. Oh that wasnt a good idea. With a feral growl Snowfeather was on the Ghost in a heartbeat. Briefly forgoing her sword still embedded in the wall on the stairs next to her son

She grabbed at the things throat. "Harm my children why dont you!" With a blast of energy she span off the thing, and a strange array of runes and designs swirled off her right hand with her claws, a beautiful grey hue pulled at thin air before the ghostlike creature, Energy was pulled from the albino shadowling, breaking it apart and pulling its power into Snowfeathers runes that span around her armwith strange designs swirling madly around her arm. This was possibly the only time Mark had seen his mother so pissed off. At least pissed off enough to form a Destrictive Array like she had within their own home.

Mark looked to his gun. "Car Key." he answered simply. With the appearance of more and more magical members of the world population, the CIA was being forced to adapt to changing targets. Their methods of figuring out how to work the bullets were not the most humane, but they worked. He cleared his throat and turned to face the newest addition to their attackers, only to see his Mother tear into it and rip it apart. He was stunned for a brief moment, having never seen her so angry, nor so violent magically. He blinked and shook himself out of that daze before using his Eagle Vision to hunt down the remaining shadowlings, headshots gracing their bodies from his gun as he found them.

It was the third shot from Marks gun that Serena came to, she growled, human then, and... dressed in pretty much a swimsuit. her typical sleeping attire as she normally slept in her feline form like her twin sister did. then again Serenity slept in the nude every night anyway even when in tiger form. Slender arms held her head, she saw stars after conking heads with her sister, Serenity laid on the stoop in front of the door in a heap, her burnts clearly visible and sticky, Serena's hand went to her forehead and came away with blood, damned thing managed to whack their heads hard enough for Serenity to get knocked clean out and her burns to bleed anew!

When their mother was done with the strange creature that had briefly knocked them out, Snowfeather dropped to one knee beside her daughter, just woke up and back to bed it seemed. "Get dressed, then go help your aunt and brother with our... guests. use the destructive rune only as a last resort" Serena nodded and scrambled up the stairs to their bedroom to get dressed as Snowfeather gently rolled her younger daughter over and sat her up. Energy gathered on her hands as she made a complex pattern before holding out both hands open twards her daughter. Energy like steam flowed from mother to daughter.

As soon as Serena was dressed a startled yell brought Marks attention to the back stairs as Serena grappled madly with another ghost. How many of the things were there anyhow ? Kicknig hard the elder twin dropkicked the ghostlike thing down the steps before getting tackled by another. Whipping out her own pistol she stabbed blindily at the creature trying to choke her before the two rolled down the stairs into the kitchen. Blackmane had to check her swing carefully to ensure she didnt smack her niece in the face.

"Breakfast isnt ready yet! Why do I have to keep telling you guys this ? I will call you to the table with the bell when its ready! I SAID GET THE FUCK OUTTA MY KITCHEN!" **WHACK** another ghostly creature took a solid smack to the kisser as Blackmane then held a hand for her Niece to get up "If you must know we're going to have pancakes, And I dont have ernough mixture to feed more than us five"

Mark rolled his eyes at this otherwise dead serious Aunt's antics, but cracked a smile anyway; it was refreshing to see some humor from her when she wasn't being the usual stone cold aunt that was more likely to cut him than give him a hug. He bounded up the stairs and ducked as another shadowling charged him. As it flew over him he emptied the last three rounds into its belly before dropping the magazine, and loading a fresh one. His arm was going to be a bit sore from firing it one handed this long. Most men his size and stature had trouble holding it with two hands, let alone one, but he made it look easy. And that was mostly due to his non-human genetic make-up, as well as all those damned pushups Blackmane made him do as a kid for punishment, where he was forced to alternate between palm and back hand to strengthen his wrists. He got through it by telling himself he was mimicing Jackie Chan.

Sighing, Mark continued, and did a clean sweep of the upper floor, killing four more shadowlings along the way and having to reload once more before dropping down stairs again. "If there's any left, they'r elikely in the basement." he said. "or the attic... but i'm not going up there; too damn tall." He said, using the fact that he was six foot two inches tall to his advantage again. Most men in Arendelle were shorter, five foot nine inches at the most, Kristoff was taller than that, but he was a strong man, too, and grew up with rock trolls of all things, so Mark didn't question it.

Mark moved to the kitchen, where the door to the cellar/basement was, and gave a mock "good morning" salute to his aunt before opening the door and being tackled by another shadowling, his back slamming into the kitchen island, and a rib cracking. He let out a grunt of pain and shot the thing before slumping to his knee for a second before wrenching his arm to the side, forcing the cracked rib back into its proper position before continuing. He'd worry about it later.

Blackmane returned the salute with the frypan she held, only to bring the thing down solidly on the strange ghostlike creature trying to get to its feet. "Good morning, todays menu, pancakes, sausage, and fox meat, now if could just grab the salt there." She whacked the next shadowling square in the nose, the ghostlikely creature dropped like a sack of grab only to get doused with salt... which only made it madder. "Whoops" Blackmane said with a solid CRACK of her foot against the things ribecage to send it sailing out the window with a crash where it disappeared into its own shadow

Serena gave a look to her brother when he mention the attic. "These things wouldnt be up there" She said jerking a thumb towards the stairs her brother had just come down. She ducked a wild swing by another albino shadowling. Why did they all look alike ? She didnt have to ask because her aunt beat her to the question

"Didnt I just knock you out ?!" Blackmane thundered from the kitchen as a solid **CRACK** was then heard, not the normal typical clonk or clang, but a solid very magical CRACK as the frypan glowed and sparked with blue energy dancing upon it as Blackmane finally put down a Shadowling, and it didnt get back up, because it had turned to dust like the ones Mark had shot, Blackmane pointed at the dust "Stay!" She said Using her magic she swept it away out the window

Dusting off her hands Blackmane said simply "Breakst will be served as soon as these... things are out of the house" She went back to work making the pancakes. plain simple pancakes, she didnt like anthing in her plain old pancakes. some sugar atop them with srype and boom she was set. Though Serena liked bacon with her pancakes, heck the whole family did.

 **1 hour later**

 **Marketplace Den Library**

In the library, which was vast to say in the lease, there was a single woman dressed in white and gold robes, clearly not from Arendelle yet the pearl headband didnt even give her away as her magic kept others from recognising her until the time was right. She was searching through books as Mark arrived in the massive room.

Upon seeing the woman, Mark immediately peered at her with his Eagle Vision to determine if she was a threat or not, however all he could see, much like when he would try with Diana, was a plume of annoying bright light. He bit his bottom lip before stepping closer, intentionally making his footsteps heavier so they could be heard easier. As the woman turned to face him, he stopped. "You have come a long way, stranger." Mark said calmly. "But I'm afraid this library is off limits to all but high-ranking Assassins and members of the Royal Family or staff." he explained softly, not wanting to cause a scene. His eyes narrowed. "So, how can I help you?"

The woman smiled and turned to look towards him, looking him up and down with her black eyes ringed in brillant blue "Hmmm.. I think you will do" She said taking a brief step around him as if inspecting him all the way around. "Yes, a strong Assasin for sure, able to do missions on the spot regardless of mission giver, I think you will do nicely"

Mark's eyes followed her as she walked around him, his claws shifted in the light, his armor shimmering as well. His hood covered most of his face still; he normally didn't let it down unless he was certain he was alone, or among trusted friends. Though he didn't look it, he was ready to strike within the blink of an eye if the need called for it. "You can see a lot for a stranger. What are you on about?"

The woman stared at him, blanching slightly at his question "What do you mean ?" as she stepped back a bit seemingly in thought, but faster than a blink of the eye the woman had Mark in a hammer lock against the table

Mark let out an amused grunt, she was playing coy. He opened his mouth to retort, and continue his questioning, but then he found his face being slammed into the red oak table, his arm twisted behind his back, any attempt to move was met with the resistance of a mountain and a half, he grunted and lashed out with his free arm, only for his head to slammed again. "Son of a... what the hell do you want?" He growled slightly muffled as his face was half smushed into the map on the table.

"Liberate this district on the map before you, and I'll make it worth your while!" The woman said, holding him, oddly strong with slender delicate hands "You got six hours"

Mark's eyes looked to the map, Turintao. Mark's eye twitched. "The teenage emo district?" He grunted. The woman's grip tightened and he hissed. "Six hours? Lady do you know how big that district i-" Again his head was slammed, this time into the bookcase at the front of the table, and then down into the table again, any harder, and either his head or the table would crack open. Mark was silent, growling under his breath, his claws curled into a tight, annoyed fist. "Christ, fine! Fuck... how the fuck am I supposed to do that?" He asked. Finally he was let go and he stood, turning his head to crack his neck and huff, heavilly annoyed.

"You'll know" The woman replied, then Kanwar left him. She left him so quietly he never heard her leave as he had his back to her at the time

He stood in silence then, blinking. He fell down into a chair and dropped his hood. Crazy bitch knocked his head so hard the hair tie Elsa gave him came out, and his hair was dropping into his face in thick bangs, giving him a sort of more exotic look to go with his jaw-hugging beard. He tied his hair back quickly and threw the chair across the room. "Fucking fuck!" He growled, opening a transport array. before he stepped into it though he stopped and looked at the map. "God... fucking shit... fuck." He growled, a mixture of confusion, pain, and annoyance in his voice. He grabbed the map, and took it with him through the array, cursing in every language he knew.

When he arrived at the destination he found his sister, after breakfast Serenity had cleaned up, but her scars showed clear in the sunlight, a glittery frozen red of crusted blood and blisters. Stupid Templars were learning fast than any of them thought. She stared when her brother arrived through the transport array, all those curses made her simply blink. "I dont think our before breakfast alarm is the reason for this new slingful ?" She said simply to her brother, she saw the map, the same one she had smacked into her face before he went to the library. "Let me guess... You spoke to that lady too ?" At least the pain on her face was gone

Mark growled and slammed it on the table, plates shaking from the force. "You want revenge for that burn?" he asked simply, staring at the mess of scars on her face for a brief moment. "Help me liberate this district. That woman gave me six fuckin' hours." he said with a growl. "Get your shit, we got stuff to do." He stormed upstairs to his room, grabbing the most flexible of his weapons besides his sword, which was on his back already. Some where around fourty throwing knives, his Desert Eagle with Standard Rounds and four extra magazines, a few rope-darts, and a few smoke bombs.

"You bet I want revenge, I was in so much pain when I got this, Diana took out the guy that did it. Next Templar Captain I see I'm just gonna rip their throat out" Serenity growled her eyebrow raised, six hours ? For the Turintao District ? Impossible, the place was a moshpit for sure! Serenity nodded, They had a mission, perfect! She went to the armory in the den, normally she kept her swords there until trecently she'd bee nsleeping with the things within reach. With her swords she grabbed up her daggerlike guns, so extesively modified no normal gunmaker could match them, but at least they sold the rounds. She grabbed up also a few bracers of throwing needles. The last thing she grabbed were some Hidden Blades.

She met up with her brother at the door as he came down the stairs. A finger was tracing the scars on her face as she viewed them ni a mirror, glittering like galss they were painless... for once. "Ready to kick some Templar ass ?" She asked, very briefly she considered going partly tiger like she liked, but didnt want to risk triggering the scars to bleed after that woman somehow stopped the pain when her mother and aunt couldnt. Serena was already on an Assassination mission outside Arendelle in Oslo as she left before her brother came into the kitchen with the map

Mark flicked his wrist, his family's crest apppearing in front of them, his Transport Array glowing bronze as usual. "This will drop us in different spots in the district. Go ape-shit." he said before all but diving through it.

Serentiy smirked "Lets do some damage!" and hopped into the mark, disappearing into smoke less than a heartbeat later and reappearing just as quickly in the desired location. Right in the middle of a bar ... Oh... crud

 **Arendelle**

 **Turintao District**

 **Moments Later**

Mark appeared within the second of five hexagonal rings that formed the district, counting outwards from the central plaza, putting him in the middle of the district, effectively. As soon as he appeared with bronze flash, he darted for the first Templar he saw, using his Eagle Vision to give himself the perfect targetting system he grabbed the first man he saw, picked him up over his head, and then slammed theh man's head against the stone ground until it popped. The Citizens screamed and ran, while Templars poured forth from every door, corner, window, and cupboard that they could. Mark was surrounded immediately and he drew his sword and a fist full of throwing daggers. With a swish of his arm five Templars dropped to the ground with knives in their heads or throats. Following up the momentum, five more lost their heads to his blade.

Mark's eyes flashed Silver and he lifted his free hand up to the sky with his fingers opened flat. Gravity around him was reduced to nothing, the Templars flying upwards before he balled his hand into a fist and slammed it, and the Templars down, either knocking them out or killing them upon impact. He darted then down the road, knives flinging out and nailing Templars left and right. Rounding a corner into the inner ring, Mark's Eagle Vision located the foosteps of the Templar Captain, and he set about following them through the streets and buildings, arrows and bullets alike bouncing off his armor harmlessly as he ran after the Captain.

It led him to the entrance to the central plaza, a massive barricade lined with Guards all armed with rifles aiming at Mark. "Fuck." the Assassin transport arrayed himself to safety behind the wall before turning to climb the wall, his claws digging into the walls with ease and allowing him to climb with ease. He hopped onto the roof and squated. Good, no one knew he was up here yet. Looking around, he blinked, someone had been helping him... He stood and walked to the edge, a few explosive barrels of gunpowder set up to be accidentally knocked over. "Oops" he said, kicking them over the side and onto the barricade, taking out a Templar or two in doing so.

"What the fuck? Where'd this come from?"

"Oh good god... wait... where's the Assassin?"

"Fuck!"

"I told you! Keep an eye on the Assassin!" If the Templar soldier said anything further it was drowned out in a gunshot as Mark's gun went off, and the barricade exploded with enough force to be felt even where his sister was, wherever she ended up anyway. Mark leaned back just as a flaming arrow whizzed by his face and he turned to face the archer, shooting him without a second thought. The Assassin looked around, the trail ended here for the Captain, he needed a better view.

Sheathing his sword and holstering his pistol he clapped his hands together and then slammed them on the ground, closing his eyes before letting out a sickeningly loud Eagle Screech. On command, Ulnaus appeared from a flash of Bronze and Silver Light, He turned to the massive bird as he landed behind his Master and chirped softly.

"I need a bird's eye view. Show me the District." Mark commanded. Ulnaus paused, chriped and then took off, the wind from his wings flaring out Mark's coat as Mark sat and closed one eye, that eye then began to transmit what Ulnaus could see with the corresponding eye on the bird. Mark tilted his head as he took in the information, growling softly before Ulnaus found another cluster of Templars, one of them wearing the robes of a Captain.

Standing, Mark took off, leaping from rooftop to rooftop as he then bounded towards the group as they shot at the massive bird above them. Grunting, Mark shot at those shooting at Ulnaus first, taking them out before needing to reloading, and dropping down to the ground, Gravity around him slammed most of the group down, except for the Captain and his guard, all hyped up on Speed as usual.

They couldn't feel the effects of Mark's limited Gravity Manipulation, which was enough to break the bones of the normal men around them. As gravity returned to normal, Mark flung the rope darts out, using them as two chain-sicles to slash and stab at them while they kept their distance from their assassin foe, who was able to see their hyped movements.

Soon however the ropes were cut and the weapons were useless. Throwing knives were deflected, and Mark was down to his gun and sword, but before he could pull the trigger the massive pistol was smacked from his hand. Growling, Mark clawed at the man's face with both hands, sword still in its sheath. Dispatching that man ended there, but as the other two attacked him, Mark was pushed back a few feet before he rooted himself and began to strike with such ferocity that even the drug-hyped Templars were beginning to become scared. It was that they couldn't keep up, quite the contrary, they were still faster than Mark, but Mark's strength was overwhelming them, and his armor was hurting them, despite the drugs. His hands slammed into their chests, grabbing at their organs or bones, whatever was closest, before pulling his arms out of their bodies and letting them drop. He dove for his gun and shot the last guard, and then lowered his sights on the Captain.

 **Turintao District**

 **At that same moment**

Serenity looked about, the bar was packed with punks it seemed like, it felt a lot like Egypt the design of the building, everything was hexagonal in design, even the building itself. Stepping past a few tables, Serentiy was given barely a glance from a few folk seated and by her appearance alone was sure to be judged with hostility, yet something about her stature and how she carried herself, a woman on a mission, not someone opening blaming anyone for anything, but to help someone in need. These people recognised that need by the mere way her eyes glowed, she saw blue outlines around everyone within the bar, innocent bystanders that could be of aid

She moved from one table to the nexct, nobody gave her a second thought once they were sure she wasnt there to harm them directly. The men and women at each table she passed were either complaining about something, playing cards, or doing makeup, or using their wristphones, of ther entire kingdom only the Turinato District was the most advanced outside the Marketplace Assassin Den she noticed it right off just by seeing how gothic punk everything was on itso wn.

Nothing could be this much like the Equator City and not be this Gothic Punk about it! Moving from table to table she heard snippets of conversation, some were content with the way things were, the others were complaining of not getting in on things and claiming their own district from these so called Templars, while others were asking about the weird group with the seven wings of white and one of black getting destroyed in the Daodojo district. Serenity smiled, she remembered her brother talking about the weird fight and how he met that new woman, named Fang

As she joined a group of the residents of the district, older folk who looked to her more of a friend then an enemy or someone not to be trusted right off, she remembered the words she had spoken to her brother mere moments before. She ewanted to rip the throats out of the first Templars she saw. So after giving the table a careful glance with her own Tigris Vision she was invited to sit at the table and join in the conversation.

There was an old man at the table, his hair was black as oil and he looked well learned from what Serenity could tell and by appearance the man knew quite a bit. Once she had taken her seat near him the old man spoke "It is not every day a Tigris graces us with her precense here in this kingdom" He said simply

Serenity stared at the man, how did he know she was a Tigris ? "I am sorry ? You mean there was another here ? Another Tigris ?"

"Yes, it has been some time indeed. Pray tell then young master, what brings you, a Tigris girl to be sure, all the way here to our... newly humbled district of Turintao ?" The old man said

"Newly humbled ? You mean the Templars ?" Serenity asked. The man nodded

"Yes, ever since they arrived and took over the center, things have become rather... busy here in this tavern. Tavern of Turintao this place was once called, but since we have been displaced it has become the Gothic Road" The man said he looked about the massive tavern "It is now home to many who once called this District home. In fact some of those here welcome our opressors because it generated business here in this tavern"

"Yeah, it gave us a home too, a place where the old man here can tell his stories without those idiots getting in his way and making us go elsewhere" Broke in another at the table. Serenity looked to the new speaker, a younger man of a sort, not as old as the old man, with long black hair and a regal air about him,. "As far as we know and heard, Old Man Iron Wolf here..." the man gestured to Serenity's conversation partner, "...was said to have seen a Tigris, the only guy in the district, he'd speak in the center in the theatre there about them, tell stories." The man took a drink

"Then why come here ?" Serenity asked, the old man watched the front entry, people seemed to running in two directions.

"Because we were forced out, we came here, that was ten years ago see. After the Great Winter that happened during summer."

"The real question, scarred lady, is why did you come here ?" Asked another young person at the table, the goth dressed woman gave Serenity a curious look. "Are you here for something ?"

"You could say that" Serenity replied, not entirely sure of giving away exactly why she was there, but it was clear by the crystalised crusted blood on her face from the burns what she sought.

"To be expected of the younger generations, when wronged they can only avenge the wrong by taking revenge" The old man replied as Serenity turned her pink eyes towards him as he spoke, his gaze however was on the street where men and women scrambled aftrer something and a few carrying ladders. "Either way I think you best get a move on, if you came for revenge you best get it while you can" He nodded towards the door, She followed his nod and saw out in the street the frantic level of activity. She recognised those outside in red outlines, her desired targets.

She turned back to th group at table with a slight bow she said simply "Thank you, Good health to you" She said before getting up and heading outside as the building suddenly shook madly stepping outside she saw smoke down the street towards her left, framed by what looked like a tower. Ah there was the District signal tower.

A Templar ran at her, she easily flicjked out her hand, her claws slashing the guys throat, she wanted to just reach out to the captain, and rip out fihs adams apple with her fingers, it'd be bloody, but it'd be worth it. Now where to find the guy. Easing her twin swords from her back she began methodically moving through the massive throng of Templars in the street.

She spotted he brother going rooftop to rooftop, well this was gonna be fun, She ducked the wild swing of another Templar, easily kicking the woman into her fellows before slicing open the stomach of the guy behind her and going without stopping to the next Guy in line. Innocents scrambled for safety while those she had spoken with had stepped out of the bar to watch the fight.

Four men and two women, the same six she had briefly sat at table with stood around an older dark haired man. "Should we help her ?" asked the younger man who had pointed out the older mans name to her.

Iron Wolf shook his head "I do believe they have this handled. Now the story will be told, a New Tigris is here, possibly more in fact" He knew his daughter in law qwas half tigris, and his grandson was also half tigris, but his knowledge of what his grandson was didnt know his grandson was also half dragon, and half eagle, and half human, a mutt of a sort.

"They ? But it was only her that spoke with us at table; who is with her ?" Asked the young woman who had asked what Serenity was after

"Look to the rooftops to see the salvation of your home children" Iron Wolf replied before patting his young charges on the shoulder and returning to the bar to his table, the group stayed and watched as Serenity all but ravaged the Templars on the ground before scrambling for a rooftop

Mark squeezed the trigger, and the gun clicked. A quick look would reveal that the dirt accumulated through use had jammed the slide, and the spent round cartridge could not be ejected. i'Knew I should've cleaned it last night."/i he thought before looking to the Captain, who now made his way towards Mark slowly, his eye twitching from the drugs, and a massive axe in his hand. Mark holstered the pistol and his grip tightened on his blade's hilt, dropping into his signiture stance that gave him the nickname The Scorpion.

"Come now, Assassin...There's no need for all this bloodshed, is there?" the Captain asked. "I'm sure this can be settled non-violently."

"You're not exactly giving me a choice here." Mark retorted calmly, his foot shifting, ready to pounce in any direction needed.

"There is always a choice" The Captain said, at this point his left eye was twitching he possibly had the nickname of 'Twitcheye', he thumped his axe handle in his hand. The weapon was heavy and not exactly the easiest thing to defend against when used by a pro, or a hyperdrugged crazy. At the edgde of the rooftop behind the man Mark saw brown hair and bright pink eyes peek over the ledge as Serenity came into view, she shook her head towards her brother, she didnt want the Captain to know she was there.

"For example" Captain Twitcheye continued oblovious to the fact he was about to get killed but not by the guy in front of him, "You could have not have come. You could have said no. You could have come with an entire army... Or you could have slept in"

Mark looked to the Captain, ignoring his sister for now, and then he laughed at the Captain's suggestions. This made the man raise an eyebrow. "Y'know, they always did call you crazy, Scorpion of the Assassins, but I didn't think you were crazy enough to laugh when your death was upon you!" He said, and with that, he stepped back, lowering into a stance ready to charge Mark and attack him.

Mark stopped laughing as soon as he moved, and with a flick of his wrist, lessened the gravity around the man keeping him still by making him float while Serenity snuck up on him. "You miscalculated, Captain; why would I need an Army if I can do this?" he smirked. As Serenity got closer, he'd more finely control the manipulation, keeping the man still while also keeping graivty normal for his sister until the last second, where he'd flick his wrist and restore the area to its natural graivity while spinning into a flourish and bow, sheathing his blade while he did so, as if finishing a performance for a crowd.

Suddenly the massvively drughyped Templar stopped moving, though he kept walking, in space. Though he didnt seem to notice as Serenity got onto the roof quietly, sheathing her swords on her back, from what her bvrother could see she also removed one of her armored leather gloves, her claws werent extended either "Yep, they were right, you're crazy... why the fuck am I not moving ?" The Captain finally looked down and saw he was inches off the rooftop. He hefted his axe, "Put me down or I'll stick you like a pig on a fire roast!"

He shut up however as a hand came out of nowhere as Grvity normalised and a very female hand latched ont the front of his throat. He stopped moving. Serenity leaned close. "You wont be able to eat, not after I rip it out..." Her grip tightened on his throast, the man started gagging, dropping his ax he turned and briefly the two parried and blocked with one hand each until...

 _Crack... slosh... thump... **THUD**_

First was the crack, the breaking of the mans neck, the second was the removal of the adams apple directly, the thump was the ax making contact with the roof, and finally the thud was the body of the noew dead tyemplar falling flat on its face as Serenity simply tossed the apendage aside. She had a smile on her face. that felt good. She started licking her hands then to get he blood off them, Mark could see bits of brown and white fur on her fingers while she cleaned them off.

Seeing the dead on the rooftop she smirked "I see you had fun."

Mark quickly found the key to the tower in the man's clothing and nodded. "Indeed I did... like my handiwork?" He asked, gesturing broadly to the district as a hole, where dozens of ded Templars lay on the ground across the were likewise body parts strewn about from the explosion he'd caused of the barricade. Blood dripped from his claws and was splattered across his face and the chest plate of his armor.

Finding the key he stood. "would you like to light the tower? It was your kill after all." he offered the key to his sister, smiling gently.

"Very; you know how to make a show. Did they actually build a barricade for us to fight ? I felt the explosion in a bar... filled with displaced people too" She detailed the conversation she had in the bar with the small group, they were friendly, well, not exactly outwardly hostile to outsiders, but once seen to be what one of them had once seen long ago... In this case Marks own Mother and Sister...

Serenity smiled, It was her kill true. She reached for the key, but before her hand closed around it a new voice broke in from above "I'll break your wing if you dont drop me ya featherduster!" Her gaze snapped upwards, What the ?

Mark also looked up, clicking his tongue. Ulnaus obeyed and swooped down, dropping the owner of the voice on the ground between Mark and Serenity before landing himself, and beginning to preen his feathers. Mark raised an eyebrow at the bird, before looking to the person he'd caught. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" he asked quickly to the person.

Serenity smelled another bird, but kept her mouth shut and snagged the key from her brother while the newcomer, clearly a woman of some form, with long black hair, dressed in white and silver, and what looked like olive branches tangled in her hair got to her feet and dusted herself off. The woman with bright green eyes looked over Mark carefully as he asked her the question "That's something of a personal question that first one, the second one is easy to answer though." She said. giving a pointed look towards Ulnaus she continued "I was minding my own business when featherduster there grabbed me and took off."

Serenity gave her brother a look before stepping backwards, she'd let him deal with this newcomer, see what she wanted, who she was, things like that were better off to him anyhow, normally since she was recently in a battle and the bloodlust had yet to really go away, trying to talk to her would only make things... weird. But as she left she heard the woman say "I am Dove Wezaki. Though almost everyone I know call me either Crazy Dove or Wezaki. But I thought you knew ? Wait no it cant be; must be thinking of someone else, someone I was supposed to meet here" Was this the woman the woman who gave them the mission meant to see when the liberated it ?

Mark crossed his arms and shifted his weight to his left hip while the woman talked, raising an eyebrow. "What were you doing so close that our feathered friend was able to grab you, Dove?" He asked sternly. "If you were truly minding your own business, Ulnaus wouldn't have grabbed you and brought you to me." he added.

"Now that's getting a bit personal" Wezaki replied criossing her arms as Ulanus sqauked, she glared towards the massive Eagle. "Like I said I was to meet someone here. I was down there" She pointed back to where the barricade once was, "Going through the bodies, finding anyone alive or almost dead when I was nabbed. I tried to fly away but... ah quái" She swore in Eagle, which of course perked up Ulanuse on the spot by those words

Mark let out an idle half grunt, half growl from his throat as she spoke, becoming a bit impatient as she started to avoid the question, when she answered him, his expression remained the same. "Looking for someone? Pray tell me who?" he asked. Below the hood his eyes glowed, searching the woman for weapons that might be hidden, or if her intent were to change from standing to attacking or running. He would be ready to counter her.

Wezaki's gaze went to the tower as Serenity climbed it effortlessly to light it. A moment later the one PM bell went off at the clock square. "Right on time. Looks like she was right. You do work good when under pressure." Well that explained it. Somehow this woman had ties to the woman that gave them the mission, six hours to liberate the place, and they did it with a minute to spare! Serenity leapt off the tower in a perfect leap of faith to the nearby rooftop debris stack before scampering out of it.

Wezaki crossed her arms a smug look on her face "I think I found who I was looking for, though I wasnt told there'd be two working it, just one. You. You the one they call Scorpion ?" She asked him as Serenity came back to them going through the pockets as she neared of each dead Templar until she got to the captain. Drug lists, the lot of them.

Mark nodded at her question of who he was, processing the information quickly in his head. That woman from the library sent someone else instead of coming herself. Annoying, but not un-ethical. He glanced to the clock tower. Six hours gone like that? It felt like only half an hour at the most to him while he was ridding the district of Templar influence. Interesting.

He narrowed his eyes. "I am the one they call Scorpion. What is your purpose, Dove?" he asked once more.

"Exactly what one would expect!" Wezaki replied. She got a good look at Serenity at that point "what in the blazes happened to you ? You look like you came across some darkfire or blackfire or something to make burns like that"

Serenity growled, how did this woman know ? " _I dont trust her, she knows about my burn and where it came from. Who is she anyhow ? Did she say where she is from ?_ " Serenity spoke in their childhood dialog, it was something out of habit mostly, when talking privately with her brother or sister, or to drive others completely crazy

' _She says her name is Wezaki the Dove. Though she won't tell me anything else, really._ " he growled back in the same dialogue before clearing his throat to get the Dove's attention.

"You still haven't told me what you're doing here, Dove. What do you want with me?" he growled, impatient now.

Seeing how Mark was acting Wezaki raised an eyebrow, pointing a thoughtful finger at Mark she said simply "Short waiting periods, I wasnt warned about that." She mused thoughtfully. Finally she tilted her heasd looking directly at him rather then sidelong towards Ulnaus. "I was told you'd know" It was true, the woman who gave them the mission said they'd know who to contact when they liberated the district, was it her ? Short asnwer, yup. Long answer, it remained to be seen.

" _Wezaki the Dove ? A... Dove ? But that's impossible! Mother always said in her stories that the Doves were powerful healers and never left the Healing Wards in the Eagle Empire. Remember ?_ " Serenity replied to her brother, giving Wezaki a careful look she saw clearly the woman indeed wasnt human. she was Eagle...

Mark raised an eyebrow again, tapping his foot. "I wasn't told anything. Only "Here liberate this district and I'll make it worth your while" while getting my face slammed into a table." he barked. "Now tell me; what is your purpose?" He asked yet again.

Wezaki smiled, reaching into her sleeve she withdrew a crystal about as big as Marks index finger. She tapped it twice against her palm as if in thought before holding it out. "This is for you" She said simply. It was her job to hide it when it came to her, everyone that possessed the crystal by the data stored within it had to hide it somewhere, and it told her to get it out of the Mythic Realm. "The woman that gave you this mission wanted to ensure something, she wont tell me anything apparently in most things I'm better left in the dark."

She crossed her arms then, "Its said that you seek information, as much information as you can. Well, there's more in there. But I cannot unlock it" she said simply. She turned as if to leave. "You liberated this district inside of six hours. Impressive. She'll be happy to know."

Serenity crossed her arms, a finger tapping her scarred chin in thought. It was the same thing she had gotten only in this case she was told to "Look out for a dove. Dont attack her" And here was this apparent Dove standing right before her " _I think she is our contact; I was told to look out for a dove and not to attack her. But I wasnt told her name or anything else. I was honestly exepcting a white bird, not a woman with olive branches in her hair_ " Serenity said softly to Mark

Mark took the crystal and examined it as she spoke. However he was zoned out by the time Serenity began to speak, turning away from them and staring into the crystal.

 _"You know what this is...don't you?" he asked Kalda internally. The Dragon nodded. "Well?"_

 _"My private Journal...I must have left it on my ship a long time ago before my death." he answered._

 _"Why give it to me then?"_

 _"Because you are me..." Kalda looked off into the distance and then back to Mark. "And we need to remember to wake up."_


	38. Seqeunce 9 Memory 4

**_Jellicle's Creed_**

 ** _Frozen Memories_**

 ** _Seqeunce 9_**

 ** _Memory 4: Crystalise part 1_**

 **17 Feburary 20512**

 **Wolfe District**

 **Midday**

 _"There is no Passion, there is Serenity_ "

 **\- The Jedi Code**

Blackmane paced in the foyer of the desired den defense drill. It wasnt every day that she could lead such a drill, mostly she lead from within a den to be defended. In this case however, she managed to secrew for the drill, another building that was to be renovated into a Courtesan outparcel. She paced within the foyer, Mark was to be there soon, and he was late, again, at least he went to bed at a reasonalbe time. When she saw him across the way down the street that the building she had picked out stood at the end of, she smiled. With a flick of her wrist, a red defense rune formed and spreading from its location formed a defense barrier across the doorway. The den defense was on!

Of course with the defense barrier active, the only way for Mark to get inside to get to Blackmane to observe the den defense drill was to find a open window from behind. Most of the time the templars were stupid and aimed for the front. This in itself was a good thing. But it left a lot of windows open only a few templars figured out how to sneak in from behind. But only a scant few learned that. Blackmane held out a hand as a grip of a recurve crossbow formed above it, the staves of the bow grew from the grip in a ghostly eatheral blue shimmering light before settling in her hand without a sound

She heard footsteps behind her, smile graced her face, she spoke aloud, her back to Mark as he snuck up to her "You are getting good at sneaking around nephew" She said simply, "But sneaking around someone like me wont be as easy as you think" She never turned his way as she spoke, simply watching through the barrier she had created for the den defense training session

Mark was silent as he took a seat and crossed his arms while leaning back. He was confused as to why he was being called to observe this. His job was to protect Elsa and liberate districts, not defend them. If one looked at his track record, they'd see numerous VIP's protected successfully, countless Districts Liberated, but few, if any, den defenses at all; all of them practices, all of them failures due to one thing: Breakdown. What that meant could be any number of things. Either his defenses fell apart, or he did.

"You know I hate these." He growled to his aunt, a modicum of respect still in his tone to avoid being smacked, even if she was twenty feet away and in front of twenty other recruits here for the lesson and drill as well.

"Which is why you should learn to do it correctly" She knew his record. Something always happened for it to fail, always in practise yet. In action, live and not in practise, things could infact go bad quickly, so he had to train to expect the unexpected, which included outside sources. Which were normally people.

Looking along both rows of rootops into an alley was the perfect crossfire zone. "Places on rooftops lets move" She barked out, the recruits scattered to their assigned places, leaving her and Mark alone. There was something about the design of the defense practise, the barrier. All of it was reminding him of why he didnt want to be there in the first place.

Barely turning from her spot to protect the door she stood in for the practise drill Blackmane spoke as she lifted her bow. "Why do your defenses fail ? Is it numbers of the enemy, timing, or logistics ?" She asked to Mark. Her smoke gray and black robes made her look almost invisible in the fogging room

"I think you know." He said, his eyes twitching as his feet became restless, seemingly unable to find a comfortabe spot to just sit, constantly either tapping or crossing over each other or doing God knows what. His hands balled into fists as memories of her in that exact position during the raid on the Wolfe Manor flooded his mind and he grit his teeth. "Think back twenty or so years. What were you up to?" he asked, annoyed now.

"A failed den defense" Came the soft reply. Since this was a practise they used holographic projection systems, based off Snowfeathers digital gear that allowed realtime projections, even hardlight holograms of people dressed as templars to fight with. "One that failed, when you were a boy... when you came to us" Blackmane waited a moment as four recruits manned a barricade in the street.

A dozen templars, holograms of course, swarmed around the corner at the end of the street. Blackmane raised her bow, and fired. the shot lit up the shadowy alley like a flare. Allowing the recruits to see their targets. Gunners opened fire from above using predesigned digital weapons to not waste ammo when desired for practise runs. Blackmane fired a second shot before speaking anew "The past haunts you doesnt it ?" When no answer was directly forthcoming she continued speaking. "For you to ensure the job is done. You must let go of what hurts the most. otherwise, you will fail when you should win"

He was tempted to snap at her, yell that she'd not encountered the same sitation from his perspective, that it wasn't as easy as "letting it go", but he held his tongue, instead growing slightly more agitated. His throat began to ache as emotion balled up inside begging to be released. He instead managed to choke out a simple i"Easier said than Done"/i in Arabic before standing and turning away from her, his arms shaking from his fists being clenched so tightly.

He wanted to leave. He wanted to leave, and sleep this all off like a bad hangover. But with Blackmane, it was never that simple. Nothing ever was.

Very briefly snippets of the past flooded around them, what was a plain drywalled room for the practise was his front foyer with the stairs headed upwards. Briefly it was dark, Blackmane shooting out the front door and the servants scattering as Templars swarmed the front yard setting piles of trash alight to see by as Blackmanes bow lit up the night with each shot. Blackmane couldnt see what Mark saw, because she wasnt him. But she could feel the anger he felt.

Her calm words broke into his memories. "The past haunts you Mark. It angers you that you were so powerless then to stop what was not stoppable. Your anger fuels your movements, control it." She said. Out of nowhere she threw a bolt, she never turned his way, like a explosion of light it exploded between him and the only door out of that entry hall. "Face your past, control the anger flowing in you. Do not let it control you. Do not fall into its dark embrace."

Mark's eyes became clouded and glazed over as the memory washed over him. Suddenly he wasn't the strong man in his twenties any more, but a young boy in his pajamas again. He watched the servants scatter, the ones who were outside being slaughtered like cattle while Blackmane and his father guarded the door and shot at the templars. Blackmane's voice broke though, and he heard, but the real question was whether or not he was listening through the pain and anger.

By now his forehead beaded with sweat, his heartrate had skyrocketed, and his breathing slowly began to quicken. Despite his Aunt's efforts he was too far gone, and he collapsed onto the ground muttering every phrase of denial in every language he knew while sweat and tears poured off his face onto the hardwood floors.

" _You are lost, boy..._ " Kalda's voice broke through. " _Your aunt is smarter than you are letting yourself believe... listen to her advice!_ " The flash of light from the bolt flooded his vision and the memory began to crumble. His eyes dilated and his breathing stopped for a moment, before he blinked a few times, eyes red from the tears. He let out one large shaky breath and stood again, swallowing hard.

 _"I want to leave..._ " His voice was barely a whisper, this time in Hebrew, to his aunt.

" _You cannot, flee and the past hits harder, face it head on, and you can become stronger. Do not let fear control you, do not let anger over what you could not do as a boy control you. Do instead what you know you can now do, use your anger and you fear, let it use you and you will fall. Unite your senses against anger and fear, use anger as fuel._ " Blackmane replied in Hebrew

" _You stand upon the brink of dispair. Do not fall into it and lose yourself forever. only by facing the past and using your anger as fuel can you free yourself from the past and its haunts. You are a man now Mark, you are my nephew by the words of your parents. Do not let the Templars win by pushing you into total dispair_ " Blackmane told him. Moments later however he fainted as the memory was triggered again, however much further into the past. When Mark fainted Blackmane moved to catch her nephew. Trying to call him back to the land of the living but it didnt work

Screw it was the mere thought. He didnt want to come back. Instead he went back... Possibly too far back.

 **Mythic Realm**

 **Courts of Light**

 **133 thousand years after Birth of Xeir Zith**

 **2 May**

 **Dawn**

This was it. Judgement day so to speak. the Day Asaca stepped down from being The All Mother's champion. Moving through the vast corridors of the Courts of Light, Asaca was greeted by many other dragons and nobles native to the Mythic Realm itself. As she walked she thought carefully on her new assignment. She had wanted to remain on a ship, any ship really, as Lights Champion she was away from the Courts for extended periods.

But this was different. Summoned to the Courts for something important, concerning her status. After all it wasnt every day a Guardian of Light came calling onboard ones personal airship. The Cloud Class battelship Asaca commanded was soon to be decomissioned anyway, Normally she went on patrols. Also searches for someone Light had lost long ago. Hoping to bring back the Original Champion. The First Son so to speak.

But she never succeeded in that task. The closer Asaca got to the Main Crystaline Court of Light the slower time seemed to flow around her as she realised she had failed in her mission. The mission she was given was to patrol, to seek and return, to recover, to find any trace of the First Son. But try as she might, Asaca had failed; The worse that could happen was het getting demoted to kobold or worse, Servantae.

Finally Asaca stood before the door leading to Lights beautiful throneroom. She took a deep breath, it was no or never. With a nod to the two Guardians standing on either side of the door, they pulled open the glass and silver doors and stood to let her pass through them. Once within the vast room she went before Light and dropped to one knee, her seal in her hands, her head bowed.

The room was filled with spectators, though truthfully, that didn't mean many. Kanwar, Jarius, and a few other high-ranking nobles of each Kingdom were there. Kalda stood, his armor gleaming, it being a gift from Kanwar earlier that day for completing his training. He stood in rapt Attention, though at the same time, a sense of relaxed nonchalance was still about him. How he managed that despite all the drills Kanwar forced him to do over the years of his training was a mystery even to himself, but he was able to do it.

Light stood as well, her own armor, mostly for ceremonial purposes, gleaming in the light of the room as it hugged her form regally and beautifully. "Asaca." She began. "For generations you have served me well. For generations, you have kept the peace among the realms, by any means necessary. I and many others around the realms owe you many thanks."

Kalda twitched his impatience and inability to sit still for very long still there, though with a glare from Kanwar, he froze again.

"However, the original purpose of your becoming my chosen Champion, was to find my son, Irral Mitne, whom I birthed shortly after Kanwar. You have regretably failed, but worry not, for no one is disappointed nor angry with you. If my Champion of all people cannot find him, then he must not be ready to be found." she spoke with grace and good intentions, nary a hint of negative emotion evident in her voice.

"But still, your inability to find my Son has led to this heavy hearted decision. As of today, you are no longer my Champion. The Title will instead be given to Kaldakava, who has recently completed his training under Kanwar. Have you anything to say?"

Asaca never spoke or moved as Light spoke, Asaca knew in her heart this day was to come. But never expected it to be this soon. In truth she felt relieved to be relieved of the title of Champion. She felt it far beyond her worth in truth. She knew Light was happy with her results in keeping them safe. she knew light wasnt angery with her in any manner either.

Her breathing, breifly caught in her throat at the mention of Irral. The First Son, the First Champion. She never could find him. Told stories about him as a hatchling, trained by Light while Kanwar trained with him. Everything she had grown up doing was, in essensce, mirroing who, to her, was a hero.

Finally when she was asked if she had anything to say she never looked up. "I may have kept peace by any means I had required at times leading to this. But I fear I have failed you. I fear that, by not finding news of The First Son, Irral, I failed in my duty. I dare not call myself your Champion unless you will it anew" She said simply. Her voice, though, just like it sounded when she first met Kalda when Xeir was born all those years ago, seemed to have lost some of its melodic tone. It felt deeper, more experienced, yet there was a ring to it, a strong ring of failure. Asaca had failed in finding Irral. her top task.

"I only ask but one thing" She then asked

Light looked down to Asaca, her once proud Champion, and slowly blinked. "What is your request?"

"That I be made your new Champion's second. With my knowledge and skills, I can still be of aid to him." She said softly so only Light could hear. At this point it was hard for her to speak, she was relieved of active duty so to speak, but she was scared. What was going to happen to her ? Was she going to be demoted ? What was she going to become now ?

Light looked to Kalda, who gave a subtle nod. "I have no quarrel with that suggestion, All-Mother. In fact, I would have requested it myself." He said with a bow of the head. There was a deafening silence for a moment before Light smiled and turned her eyes back to Asaca.

"I will think it over, Asaca. Return in seven days exactly, and you will have your answer." she said calmly. "Kaldakava!" The young Dragon, barely sixteen in human years, snapped to attention with a salute, his rigth fist over his heart and a bow of the head. "Your requested ship will likewise be completed in seven days time. Return here at that time." he bowed his head further in the affirmative.

"Dismissed."

As the people began to leave, Light raised a hand. "Kaldakava, Asaca, stay a moment." she requested. She waited until the rest of the nobles were gone before speaking again. "Stand, Asaca, and show me your seal." she said, walking towards the young Dragonness slowly.

Asaca did as told, still holding out her seal she slowly stood, her eyes averted but somehow she had to look, so she did. And when Light saw in the clear bright pink ringed silver eyes there were two items. One was a strong sense of failure. The other, was clearly fear. She held out her hands, in them was her never looked at any of the Nobles that were present but she could feel their judging looks even as they left the crystaline throneroom of the All-Mother. "Here, All-Mother, is my seal" She said once more bowing her head. Holding her hands to Light. The nine pointed star of silver, gold, and purple with the words in Draconica "For the All-Mother" along its edge and what looked like a shard of glowing light in the center.

Light smiled, and then let her slender hands gently fold Asaca's over her seal. "Keep it. You made it yourself, after all. Teach Kalda to make his own, or make one for him." she said. She reached out to Asaca's chin and made her look up at her, into her eyes. "Do not worry, my child. You will not be left to rot. Now go. Rest, and enjoy yourself for seven days, then return when I have my answer for you. Kalda..." the boy snapped to attention again. "Don't get drunk." His shoulders slumped, but he nodded.

"Now then. Both of you go. I've some thinking to do."

Asacas breath caught in her throat as Light gently closed her hands on the seal. Light didnt want to take it ? Well, she was right, she had made it herself. As much as she tried not to show fear she simply nodded. "Thank you, All-Mother" She said softly with a nod, she turned to leave, going about four paces when she heard Kalda get spoken to, though he couldnt see her, Light sure could, Asaca tried not to smile but it broke through. That was possibly the best thing she had heard that day.

She could teach Kalda how to make his own seal, or if he designewd one she could make one for him herself. It was, ultimately, up to him if he even wanted one to begin with. There was hope, she mused for her after all. Sure she wasnt the Champion anymore. but she still held sway over other nobles and soldiers alike.

But at that moment, which was also possibly on Kaldas own mind, She was famished. Though she was also slightly worried of what was to happen to her own vessel. She chose instead not to worry about it. The last thing she had to worry about was her old vessel, she wasnt the Champion anymore, what did she have to worry about ?

 **Seven Days Later**

 **Courts of Light**

 **Asacas bedchamber**

Dawn broke clear through the windows. Rousing Asaca from her dreamless sleep. She barely remembered the day, after the third day of waiting she'd lost track of time, went on longer walks, and also sparred with Kanwar, had lunches with Kalda. Then last night she didnt even find him, it was like he had disappeared. All but falling out of bed Asaca went to the mirror as her purple and pink dress formed on her purple scaled body. her hair was a mess, she igniored it for the moment, splashing crystal clear water on her face to wake up she looked in the mirror. And stared briefly seeing the refelction of Light staring back at her

"All-Mother ?" Asaca twirled around, now wishing she had done her hair, but then Light had seen her in much worse shape. At least she was dressed.

Light smiled softly, seeing Asacas current state, just woken up, gotten dressed but yet to do her hair or even eat, she spoke. "Sorry for the intrusion child, but I've come to a decision concerning your request" Asaca simply stared, she was now quite worried sick to her stomach, yet Light took her by the hand and they both disappeared in a sparkle of golden light.

Appearing seconds later within the captains cabin, the briefing room of a sort, where Kalda waited, he was startled when the two arrived, as he too had forgotten what the day was. But seeing Light in his conference room aboard his newly made ship made him briefly wonder why Light and Asaca were there. Then he remembered "All-Mother. I had forgotten today was was the seventh day" Kalda said simply with a small bow

Light gave Kalda a small dismissive wave, and he stood ready off to the side. "Asaca, you asked me to become Kalda's second in command, in order to guide him and teach him what he needs to know in order to become a worthy Champion of Light. I have thought long and hard over this decision, and you will be pleased to hear that I am approving it. You are to teach Kalda everything you know from strategy and tracking, to Command and Combat. He has been trained by Kanwar in Combat, but he surprisingly is rather ridgid with his techniques; and needs to learn how to adapt. Teach him; that is your mission." she said. "Kalda."

He snapped to attention. "Your job during your first two hundred years as Champion is to learn everything Asaca has to teach you while we make the... additions, to the Silver Eagle at your behest. You realize the entire ship will practically need to be rebuilt?"

"Yes, All-Mother. But a Wind Class Scout Ship will hardly do for me, I feel. I have a feeling I'll need to pack a bigger punch while still being able to get away."

"Very well. If either of you have questions, now is the chance to ask them."

When Light turned to her and spoke of her new duties, Asaca's heart hamemred. She wasnt exactly a teacher type, but if Light trusted her with this task, then she'd become one, not only would she teach Kalda, Asaca told herself, but she'd also teach herself on how to be a proper teacher for her friend. Even with him as Champion, she was still the Third Daughter, that left her with a lot of pull when it came to pulling rank. She smiled softly then, a smirk on her voice as she said simply "I can teach him, As you wish, All-Mother" Asaca said raising her hands in salute, one fist enclosed in the other as she bowed slightly

Now she really wanted to have done her hair; and put on some shoes... her purple scaled feet glittered upon the hardwood of the briefing room floor. Kalda had been trained by Kanwar, just as she had, but unlike Kalda, Asaca had learned to adapt to her fighting location, and also to her enemies. One fight her enemies may get the drop on her, the next fight, she gets the drop on them. She learns from her experiences. But Kalda, newly minted as Champion, had pretty much no livefire combat experience outside of whatever missions Kanwar sent him on

But Asaca wasnt exactly a teacher per sei, yet, she knew she could teach her friend what he needed to know. Maybe even learn from him as well. After all, that was all part of adapting. Two hundred years to teach him; And the first thing she'd teach, Asaca surmised, was how exactly to relax yet still retain command. For the most part, those on her own airship when on missions were a relaxed yet very alert for danger crew; And it was all owed to a very simple rule

A well fed crew was a happy alert battle ready crew. her men and women who worked with her as her own crew when she was Champion were well fed; each knew how to cook, even herself. So they all took turns cooking meals for the rest of the crew. For all Asaca knew, Kalda didnt work that way. But she did have one new question and it was sure to make Light smile. "Is it too latefor me to take a shower ?" She had a hell of a bedhead

Light let out a small chuckle. "Kalda, leave us." Kalda nodded and saluted, his closed fist over his heart before leaving. "No, it is not too late to shower; your two hundred years begins when you leave this room to begin your training of my new Champion. Preferably with clothing on." She said before turning, herself, and beginning to leave, pausing just outside the room to cast a side long glance to Kalda, a sort of knowing glance that put out whatever he had going on in his head, whatever it was. Truth be told he could have been thinking about what he had to eat the other day, about maitenance to his armor and sword, or finding a way to spy on the local bath-house, though the last one he put out of his mind due to his status as Champion. He couldn't tarnish that name.

Sighing, he slouched into a chair and brought out a book, beginning to read while Asaca showered and dressed herself.

About three minutes later as Asaca let the words of Light float through her mind she emerged, mostly dry but her hair, now clean and sloly braiding it to keep it out of her face in a few dreadlocks of strangely thin braids She spoke seeing Kalda. There was no hint of humor only... something akin to worry on her tone. "Are you ready ?" She asked him. She didnt see Light anywhere. They had two hundred years and the clock was already running the exact second she set foot outside the stateroom.

First thing on the agenda, she somehow could feel it. "Do you know how to cook ? Because that's your first lesson. Where's the galley ?" Asaca was a good cook, she had the many chefs and hunters at the Courts growing up to thank for teaching her. The more the crew cooked and fed each other, the better they all were. A well fed crew was a happy crew. Better to have a full ship of cooks instead of one guy who knew how to cook. She took a few steps away, turning to look towards Kalda she said simply "Training starts now, Champion."

 **Arendelle 23rd day of Spring Thaw**

 **681 years prior to fight to last a thousand years**

 **Wolfe District**

 **Wolfe Manor Grounds**

The coming of age was easy. At least to most people. Yaeko was the oldest of five children to her mother and father. Because she was the oldest it was soon time for her father ,the current head of the Wolfe Clan to name a successor. Most of her siblings didnt want to be in charge of the vast family as it was and left her, and her youngest brother to contend for it, but by right alone the title went to Yaeko, who was born first.

So, rather than fret over her fathers successor naming ceremony, which, to her made zero sense, why have such a big deal over something so trivial ? it always went to the oldest, the first born, so it didnt matter. Yaeko swung the hammer. Of all the members of the family they had all insisted that the colored metal was useless. But she liked the purple. And By Lights Grace she'd make her swords out of it!

The forge was hot, hotter than hell it self most likely. Gradually as time went on through the day, her fathers successor naming ceremony that night, Yaeko kept at work on her twin swords. This was her task her father set before her and her younger brother; by birthright the title of Clan Matriarch was hers. But the gauntlet had infact chosen her father, who was the third born of her five uncles.

 _Whack... whack... whack_ With each swing of the hammer each second drew her closer to failure, or success.

The blades took shape, the purple duradaeden glittered in the sunlight and heat of the stoneforge. Yaeko stabbed the swords together into the forge after sticking them into a vat of ice for a span of two seconds. A hissing noise was heard as the blades hardened and she stabbed them into the ice once more. When she pulled the swords from the ice the outter shell, the grit and hammering dents and otherwise was gone... The sunlight glittered on the razor sharp edges of the blades.

Yaeko smiled

She saw her reflection.

But she also saw the reflection of a young man with dark blonde hair and silver eyes watching her every move. And it wasnt her brother, sisters, or parents, She had been completely alone in this task. Before she knew it she had the stranger at swordpoint her left sword pointed at the man. "Who are you ? How did you get in here when the door was locked ?"

The man, Kalda, made no movements as the sword point was lowered at him. "It would be unwise to use freshly forged _Duradaeden_ so quickly; it is likely to snap." he said, his eyes not moving to the blade, but to Yaeko's eyes. He reached into a pouch on the back of his belt and witdrew a small bag of Gold that weighed a few pounds. He placed it on the end of the blade, half as an offer, half as a test to see the rigidity of the blade.

"I need twin Black _Duradaeden_ Swords for my... line of Work." He said simply. His pupils were not those of a human, the Silver gave way to slits of darkness, taking in the light of the forge with ease. Kalda was indeed a Dragon in hiding.

Yaeko looked at him, "That doesnt explain how you got in here with the doors locked. Papa is the only one bringing me food and water, not much else. Wont let me leave this place either its watched." She titled the sword briefly on its edge and viewed down it to make sure it was straight, miraculously it was, both blades were. The purple melted with silver streaks along the blade in a vinelike design, a tracery of sorts.

She titled the sword back to its flat edge stilled pointed at him. Yaeko blinked, What ? "What, sorry what ?" She asked. The gold didnt even bend the metal nor chip at the edge. Heck it wasnt even appearing to be felt by the young woman with the newly added weight. After all all that last five days going into making both swords completely by hand. Sure they had power hammers, steam and magic powered forges too, but no, Yaeko wanted to do it the traditional way, a stone and wood forge.

Flicking the sword the gold bounced into the air as the blade was set carefully on its flat side on a nearby cloth, next to its twin, Both swords were purple with silver vinelike tracing and streaking. Items of death, and beauty. her back briefly to Kalda she removed the gloves, and briefly the apron she wore to protect her clothing. the Wolfe crest clearly seen on her necklace. She set the apron aside with the gloves. "Father let you in didnt he ?" She asked

He shook his head. "No. I let myself in. Allow me to introduce myself, now that you're not threatening me with a still brittle blade." He said. He offered a soft bow. "I am Kaldakava, Newly appointed Champion of Light." he said. "And as I requested before, I wish for twin Black Duradaeden Swords." he repeated, straightening his back.

His Draconian eyes narrowed softly at the Wolfe before him; how had Kanwar heard of her? She was an average Wolfe Clan member with a talent for smithing. Though... her talent in _Duradaeden_ smithing was to be commended highly. Perhaps that was why. "Can you do it?" he asked.

One of the good things about _Duradaeden_ was that it hardened very quickly, brittle for heartbeats until fully cooled. Once in the desired form, it was unbreakable. Yaeko thought carefully on her ansewer. "How soon do you want them ?" She asked after a few moments. Black _Duradaeden_ was easy to come by, it was the more common colors in recent years it was more white or silver duradaeden that people requested her to make for a good price.

Then she heard exactly what he said, She held up a hand and turned towards him "First you let yourself in, unseen, You ask me for a pair of swords... And you're _Her_ Champion ?" Oh holy Light and shining stars this was rich. She stepped over to the forge, it was still white hot, if she worked fast she could have the two swords at least getting warmed up for forging...

She held up her hand again, Yaeko was thoughtful when he caught the gold so nochanlantly from the air before any of it hit the ground. "Father names his successor tonight, by birthright it should be me, he will inspect our swords himself, if anyone is seen leaving this forge aside from me,..." She faltered and took a deep breath. "I'll do it..."

In truth she was nervous. Nervous of how this man got... wait... She caught sight of how his eyes reacted to the dim light of the forge. She leaned on the anvil, her arms crossed, scars marrde her pale flesh due to the parks of the forge growing up. "You're not Human are you ?" She finally asked

At her question of how soon, he shrugged. "End of the week at most; should give you plenty of time to make them ias strong as possible/i." he said, accentuating the last few words to make his point clear. At the question of him being Light's Champion, he nodded, and chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest. "I haven't figured out my own symbol like my predecesor yet, but I'll get there." he answered.

Her hand going up caught his attention; he was about to leave before hand, and he turned to face her again. He chuckled, and set the gold down on a table as payment. "Thank you, Lady Wolfe, your services are much appreciated." He praised. "I wouldn't worry about tonight, though, to get the swords soft enough for what I want will take at least two days of an ice bath. Good thing it's winter, in'nit?" He chuckled.

He tilted his head slightly at her question of whether or not he was human, and he smiled, scales appearing on his skin like a wave, going across in a small pattern, from skin to scale, and back to skin again. That would answer her question. With that, he took a step backwards, a flash of Silver Draconian light was seen and he was gone, leaving the soon-to-be Matriarch of the Wolfe Clan to herself. The only question was as such: If he knew how long it would take to get the desired results from the blades, why wouldn't he make it himself? The answer was simple, and made even Light sigh with both amusement and annoyance:

He didn't want to.

Yaeko's eyes settled on the gold on the anvil nearer to the metals. A dozen questions ran every direction in her head. Why her, Why black, was he really Lights Champion ? but the most important question however rang loudest in her head /iWhat did he mean by not worrying about tonight ?/i Did he know something she did not ?

She turned towards her own swords, her new blades glittered brightly for use. She picked the two swords up and flicked them around, of all the skill that went into kmaking the twin swords when she held them to her hips the blades disappeared, leaving only the hilts in her hand until she wanted them to extend for use.

What ? She never planned such a thing into either sword, but then recently the magic that went into the steel before forging meant different effects, For one thing Yaeko abhord sheaths. Preferring tolet her sword be seen by all and not be hidden away. She held the hilts in her hands, inspecting them carefully. She needed to finish these things.

Yaeko went over to the workbench and began getting the hilts ready, white maple she'd chosen for the hilts grip, layered in light pale red leather and traced over with a liliac colored metal to hold it all together

"That boy can be a pain, can't he? A week. Hah!" the voice of a woman rang out as she sat in the corner, legs crossed at the knees as her regal robes flowed down her body. This was Light. Mother of all Dragons. Her beauty matched only by her power, unrivaled and uncomprehendable to mere mortal minds.

"He gives you too little credit I think... so here's a challenge, from me, personally. His birthday is coming up, tomorrow, actually. I want to give him those swords of his... you have until Dinner tonight." Light stood and walked over to Yaeko, placing a finger on the girl's forehead, giving her the foresight to see what she needed to do downt the very millisecond. She only had thirty minutes to make the twin swords for Kalda before Dinner now.

"Do it, and I'll give you a gift beyond your wildest imaginations. Ta-ta! See you in half an hour." Light said, before vanishing in a plume of Golden light.

Something had her in a good mood, perhaps the still bratty attitude of her newest Champion. Kalda could still be a Brat, even after a million years of beatings over the head from Kanwar about that very personality trait.

Never stopping her work to finish her own swords she looked up at the voice, her hands moving with skill as they finished triwling the liliac colored metal around the pale red leather of the hilts as she regarded the woman to speak. But it wasnt until Light stood and walked towards her when Yaeko realised exactly who was talking to her.

A dozen different needings to run and hide ran through her head, but as Light spoke, and touched her, she knew exactly what she had to do. He wanted a week, but Light herself wanted thirty minutes ? Could she do it ? The best possible work ? All before dinner that evening when her father named his successor ?

When Light left her with the thoughts of a gift made her heart hammer, just getting touched by Light herself was a rare gift in and of itself! She had thirty minutes. Grabbing both _Duradaeden_ ingots she stuck them first in the ice for a good two seconds, then straight into the blue burning forge. Tossing a few ceder logs then buring them in coal she got her tools ready. Thirty minutes, and the clock was ticking. her own swords were done. She knew exactly what to do. Every six seconds she tossed more coal onto the forge, layered with ceder and birchwood and buried in more coal.

Soon the forge itself smelled of smoke and felt to be on fire as she hammered and heated, and hammered, and cooled, and hammered. Kalda wanted the swords to be hard and sharp as possible, strong as possible, unbreakable. He had come to her. And so had Light. After twenty three minutes the blades were forged, straight and smooth, she stuck them in the ice, then back in the forge, then back in the ice. Withdrawing them from the ice the last time she saw the desired shine. her face reflected in the blades so clearly it was as if she was looking in a crystal clear mirror

Now for the sheath, with seven minutes she didnt want a rush job. She looked carefully for all of two seconds before sighing and closing her eyes, letting her minds eye find the right lumber for the sheaths. With the swords undergoing heat tempering at that moment she selected two pieces of beautiful red oak, cut them to length, and didnt even both to debark them right off the bat before withdrawing one of the two desired swords and stabbing the thing smoothly into its sheeath. the sheer power in the metal burnt the blade into the wood forming the sheath and making the core of the wood black liek the blades

Perfect. Now all she had to do was use her magic to carve down to the black and then seal it!

Finally both swords were done, sheaths were just drying on the sealant whe nshe looked to the clock, she had less than a minute to dinner. She set both swords on the cloth next ot her hilts. She sat back against the anvil. exausted. Her younger sister came in looking for her. Yaeko was drinking the last of her water by then where she sat with her back to the anvil, the black sheathed swords set upon it, her own swords leaning against her side.

Moments later and dinner was ready, Yaeko and her brother were both given a few moments to get cleaned up and presentable, after five days in the forge to make their swords as their father had tasked, Yaeko looked an absolute mess. yet she prettied up pretty dang fast. Finally stepping from her bedroom she was surprised to see a certain woman waiting for her. Without thinking it Yaeko held out the twin black sheathed swords to Light. "As requested"

The All-Mother was pleasantly surprised that the girl was both able to do as requested on time, and also sense her presence. Light smiled, and inspected one of the blades for a moment before smiling and nodding. "A very well done job... Your reward will be thus:" within a blink Light reached out and had her hand on Yaeko's forehead. A warmth spread out from her hand, and filled the girl's body, a feeling of sudden childish energy as though she were but five years old again filled her.

"I have granted you a long life. Only when you feel it is necessary for you to pass on shall you do so. Go now. You've a long life ahead of you."

It was one thing to be spoken to by Light, but to get itouched/i by Light was an entirely different experience. She felt something change within her. Something about worrying for the future, what happens will happen. But something also said she had a lot to look forwards to in the future too. Yaeko took a deep breath and finally nodded. "I am honored to make these blades for one so important.. But the boy mentioned that he did not yet have a Seal made ? Does that make him someone... important ?" Well that was a dumb question to ask

Finally Yaeko smiled, "Would you care to stay for the dinner ?"

Light paused, half way through leaving, and slowly phased herself back into the realm of mortals. "I've not had human food for a long time...I'd be delighted." She said, smiling softly. Truth be told the last time Light had Human Food, Second Wolfe was still but a boy, and she enjoyed it enough, though with her own duties to attend to, she didn't get a lot of chances to try it. She gestured to the door. "Lead the way."

Yaeko smiled, She raised a hand indicvating the way as a servant stepped into view. but before Yaeko could speak the servant spoke. "Young Master, M'Lady. Dinner is now ready, Young master, your father requests your presence in the dining hall."

"Thank you, Let father know we are on our way now. Hurry." Yaeko said, the servant nodded and scampered off, leaving Light and Yaeko to walk at their own pace to the dining hall two floors down int he massive house.

"I see the clan has expanded nicely... the Manor was but a hut when last I saw it." She said, looking around at the various paintings and other decorations of the large Manor. "Good to see the Family that helped rebelled against the Precursers is thriving so much...'twould be a pity for such a strong line to fizzle out." she said.

They passed a painting of Yaekos ancestor Second Wolfe and his wife, the original Wolfe looked quite young in the meticulous painting; made, as luck had it, or otherwise, Jarius symbol down in the left bottom corner just barely seeable. Yaeko simply nodded. "My ancestor served the First Queen so long ago. All the stories I read, and learn from. Many of them written by his own hand are in my room"

They passed through the main floor foyer towards the dining hall as she listend to Light speaking of the last time she was there. "Father always said our home was founded in black stone. Blackrock Temple. When Arendelle was founded" She said. They came up[on a opened archway door and Yaeko motioned inside, a simple "this way" was spoke and she spotted the servant summoned to seek her and get her there in time leaving her fathers side at the head of the massive white oak table

"You didn't say we had a guest, Yaeko." her father called out from his seat as the soon-to-be matriarch and Light entered the room. The man stood, and made his way over to the two, albeit with some difficulty, holding onto the backs of the chairs to keep his balance. Even in his old and weakened state, he was able to get up and move around, though fighting was out of the question. If anything, the only thing keeping him alive at this point was sheer will power, and the magic of the Gauntlet on his left arm, what would soon be Yaeko's, and in time, Mark's.

"A pleasure to meet you, stranger, I am James Wolfe, current Leader, and Master of the Clan." He stood on his own and held out a hand to shake, albeit, a slender, and shaky one.

Light smiled, and bowed her head. "Master Wolfe, I am Light, Mother of Dragons." She reached to shake his hand, the motion stopping him from kneeling. "Do not kneel, you need your strength in the next few days I think?" She could see his time was almost up, the life force was slowly leaving his body. He was old, he was tired, but he wasn't done just yet.

"Ah... yes, time is of the essance... come, we will eat." He said, gesturing for her to take any seat she wished at the table. James' wife entered and sat opposite him at the other end of the table, Yaeko and her siblings took up spots around the table, and Light settled next to Yaeko, closer to James.

Dinner began at first rather quiet. Most of the time was silence, the meat and cheeses piled upon the table showed for one important thing. They knew how to feast, and feed those with lesser ability to feed themselves. All the servants, heck the whole district alone were well kept by the massive clan. Everyone well fed and happy.

When Light took her desired seat next to her and her brother directly across from her Yaeko felt a bit nervous, her father to her left, Light toher right, and her brother who, try as the young man might, kept glaring daggers at her. Almost smug the young man was that he was to become the next leader. Therir sisters didnt want it. And their father could just up and pick between them. So he presented them with the five day swords making test.

Which in turn gave Yaeko the perfect chance to prove herself not only to her father and brother, but to herself. By promising herself she'd use the useless colored _Duradaeden_ and then actually finishing her swords with the metal, and ontop of thatm aking another pair of swords for Light's Champion.

Yaeko was surprised her father could walk on his own without even his cane he'd taken to using the last ten years of her life. She rarely remembered a day when her father wasnt using his cane, or a servant helping him to walk up a short flight of stairs! But for her father to get up from his chair and step over to Light to greet her. That in itself, amazed her.

It was a few moments before the sixth watch sounded across the kingdom when Yaeko's attention was snared by her father speaking to her brother, Orpheus, concerning their swords, Her father turned to her, she had made two, well... four. but her inital two she had finished before making the other two swords in half an hour, _Duradaeden_ , be it black or plain silver or even glassclear hardened quickly, and by time she had made the sheaths for Kaldas swords the blades were actually waiting to be put in them so the hilts could be made.

Her own swords, at that moment, her on her hips. Well their hilts were, a deep purple fading to gold and fading from gold to pink and even possibly bits of white, but the blades themselves were a royal purple polished beyond refelctive to a brilliant beautiflu shade of almost hot thinking it, as her father reached out his hand she removed her twin swords from her belt and gently laid the hilts upon her fathers outstretched hands, right before they landed gently in his hands the blades sprang from the hilts without a sound for him to inspect.

Her brothers own swords, a mix of glass and silver, were sheathed upon the table before him. Awaiting their fathers inspection. Everyone in the family knew that Yaeko hated sheaths, they got in the way of her fighting abiltieis and movements. Made of colored seemingly useless _Duradaeden_ Yaeko had made the impossible possible. She had made weapons of pure beauty

After a few more agonizing minutes of silence, James finished eating, and a servant took his plate away, leaving the goblet of wine. "Your swords, children." he spoke, and immediately the swords began to float towards him with the magic of the Wolfe Children, a magic lost to time after Yaeko's passing, hense why Mark never knew it. The old man inspected each blade with meticulous scrutiny- The shine, texture, feeling, weight, balance, density, flexibility, sharpness, even the taste was tested by the old man, his face stone cold and silent as he did so, no one knew what he was thinking.

Light took a better look at him while he did this, seeing what ailed him. Black blotches covered his body, from his bones to his lungs, it had spread far and wide. Perhaps if caught by the healers when it was merely only in spot, it could have been stopped, and his life could have been prolonged, but alas it was too late. The tumors were too far wide-spread. She gave him a week at best. The end of the night at worst.

Upon coming across Yaeko's swords, an eyebrow was raised, "Colored _Duradaeden_? Didn't I tell you to not bother?" He barked, nevertheless keeping his composure and examining it the same way he did the others, fairly and meticulously. When he was done, he let the swords fly back to his children, and folded his hands together, thinking. He took a sip of wine before speaking.

"You have all crafted blades worthy of the title Master Wolfe, that is of little doubt to me. Perhaps the biggest surprise is the Colored Duradaeden of _Yaeko_ , the metal previously thought nigh un-useable by all except the ancients. Once you have all finished eating, we shall let the Gauntlet decide who is to wield it and its mantle of responsibility next. Do not rush; I'm not going anywhere yet." he said.

Yaeko simply nodded as her twin swords floated back to her waiting hands. a magic timelost yet, in her time, used primarily by all of the clan as a means to defend and keep their weapons close at hand. Of the remaining meat on her plate was a few slices of fox and wolf meats, also some cheeses and even then she'd eating at least a good chunk of the food on the table and the servants kept bringing out more for them all to eat. Her father was right, he idid/i tell her not to bother with even attempting to use the colored _Duradaeden_ as it was indeed quite difficult to work. But somehow through sheer will, she did it. As her swords returned to her hands the blades faded into their hilts without a sound. What had been a solid very strong pair of swords, was now a pair of hilts in the same color.

Yaeko knew the time was coming, but she didnt know what to be in for and it made her nervous. She saw Light watching her father intently, for his age of north of ninety, he actually looked great, but he was frail and dying slowly. Yaeko never saw her father without his cane or a servant to help him so much as go to the bathroom! She was unsure what to ask to Light concerning her father, but seeing the somewhat perplexed and almost sad look on the All-Mothers face Yaeko knew it was bad news.

Yaeko had to smile as her father spoke, not to rush, "No Papa" She said after a moment of chuckles spread through the room, "Should one of us be chosen; you still are our head, and our Father." It was true, James Wolfe was their father, a father of five wonderful children, children who were skilled in pretty much everything he at one point was also skilled in. Yaeko often used her fathers influence to get out of trouble. Little did she know she'd use her own influence to get out of trouble

James slowly lifted his arm on high, the gauntlet gleaming in the light of the room as he did so. Blue light came from it, and slowly it broke apart, small blue cubes of magic energy breaking off into the air, swirling around the room as everyone, including Light, watched with awe. The whole room was alight with the blue particles as they swirled around the table five times, then around the heads of each child of the Clan ten times, the gauntlet probing them to see if they were worthy to weild it and the responsibility. After this five-minute long process of awe and wonder, the gauntlet formed itself slowly over the table, then broke apart once more, all the pieces darting for the chosen one: Yaeko.

The pieces resized and reformed around her slender left arm, starting at her shoulder with a simple flexible pauldron, then moving down her arm to the elbow, a simple joint there, to the wrist, another joint, following the flexibility of the wearer, and then down to the finger tips, clawed like hooks. Appropriate joints where they needed to be for optimum flexibility.

With that, James collapsed backwards into his chair with a small groan of pain, and servants quickly came to rush him off to the healers.

Yaeko stared as the gauntlet broke apart, her brother stared, she felt his stare, he was honestly a very sure footed man, but sometimes he was too dang stubborn to get stuff done right. Whereas, being the oldest, Yaeko got in the most trouble growing up and had used her father's influence to get out of that trouble. But when the Gauntlet even took Lights own attention to watch as it danced in pieces, uncountable pieces, across the dining hall as the Servants stood perfectly still waiting for their next orders as if in a trance, they were simply, like everyone else, in awe of the spectacle before them.

But this was different, when the gauntlet reformed over the table and floated there she was rather curious, were none of them to lead ? it was with that thought the gauntlet exploded, its shards and pieces floating briefly randomly before she felt the slight prick on her arm. She stared at her left arm as the gauntlet formed, piece by piece, shard by shard on her arm, finishing with the claws on her left hand fingers, They sparkled brightly before retracting

Her attention was, briefly locked on it before briefly gazing to her brother, who had a cool look on his face, a soft smile too, he was nodding. Seemingly thankful it wasnt him to get chosen. But it was her father's groan of pain that jerked her attention to him. Before Yaeko could speak however her mother went to his side. Her father looked ready to collapse and the healers were sent for. But Yaeko saw something in her fathers eyes, but she couldnt tell if he approved of the choice of the gauntlet, or if he was simply proud of her swords.

But his eyes had life and vigur within them unlike any other time she had seen it. But he wasnt looking towards her directly, but to the All-mother next to her. Yaeko looked to Light, at a loss for words as her father was carefully helped to his bedroom. It was then that the full brunt of what just happened hit her. She couldnt get into trouble anymore and use her fathers influnce to get out of it, it was her influence now.

But what was wrong with her father ?

Light was gone when Yaeko looked to her place at the table , having stood to speak to Lady Wolfe, James' wife and Yaekos mother, as to what was wrong with him. The First Dragon sighed softly as she placed a hand on the woman's shoulder. "I'm afraid what he has cannot be cured. There are tumors all over his body. It's likely stage four stomach cancer..." she said. She was no doctor, of course, but even Dragons got Cancer, and she'd seen many of her children die of it, in very similar circumstances as James Wolfe, now-previous Master of the Clan.

"Like I said, nothing can be done about it...but keep him comfortable and happy, he doesn't have longer than a week, I suspect. Keep him close." With that, Light turned to Yaeko, who by now was looking at her, and smiled, nodding before vanishing in a flash of light.

Yaeko's mother, Lady Wolfe to most, beloved wife ti james and Mother to her five children listened carefully as Light spoke to her, she simply nodded. the Healers could make him comfortable, sheer willpower kept her husband alive even when he complained of stomach pains years ago. "Thank you" She said softly. She turned to instruct the servants to keep careful watch over james as Yaeko stood from her seat. The new matriarch of the clan moved to speak to Light, but the All-Mother simply smilled with a nod before disappearing in a flash of beautiful light. When Yaeko looked to where Light had stood, and also sat she saw a brief outline of the All-Mother, like a ghost before it faded. So it wasnt a dream.

With her father safely in his room and her mother tending to him that left Yaeko to deal with the very first thing of becoming the new Head of the clan and family. First thing was first, Her fathers old study, now hers. Surely her father did have instructions for the next Matriarch or Patriarch of the clan depending on who the Gauntlet chose there were always instructions handed down at least a day or so before the succession occured. So that meant herself.

She took her leave from the dining room, her brothers eyes lockedo n her every movement, possibly brooding she didnt care, she was the new matriach, both Light and Kalda, had said not to worry, heck Light even nejoyed the food the servants had prepared! Stepping into her new study she took note of everything within it. From the crystal lighted lamp to the white oak desk it sdat upon to the walls lined with shelves of books, most of them clan records for each family, Clan dealings, and keeping protection over Arendelle as a whole.

Upon the desk was her fathers instructions, each successor had updated the instructions with personal musing and advice, some fo the book was ancient, even by her standards. Hell her great grandfather's great grandfather had written his advice and musings in it too. All the way to Second. She recognised even his writing. So old and ancient yet flowing and almost with a life of its own. After reading from the first few pages Yaeko knew what needed to be done. She had to go to the castle and speak directly to the Queen.

And with her perchant for making trouble for the Arendelle guard there at the castle, that was easier said than done. She went through the first few pages, her ancestors handwriting was blocky yet flowing, using something of a egimatic script yet it told his tone clearly. He wrote that when the Clan leader was chosen they were to speak directly to the Queen as soon as possible, normally upon taking the leadership or the very next day. Yaeko closed the journal. Looking to her hand, the gauntlet glittered its dark tarnish, for something so ancient it was so well kept as if dust and time had no meaning to it.

She thought of those last few weeks, her father getting more and more ill, her mother seen less and less, yet her father issued his challenge, make the swords, she had done so. But she felt in her heart she had to confront her trouble making past sooner than later. She finally nodded. She had two choices, sneak into the castle by the way of the inlet she'd found under it, completely unseen by the guards, or face the guards directly, surely those men thel ast week had been on the lookout for her in the streets and wondered where she was. Her hand went to the swords at her belt. She nodded. She knew hwat to do

Yaeko stood from the desk and then stepped from the study, a servant waited beyond the hidden door. "Master Wolfe, The Old Master is now in bed, what shall we do ?" the Servant girl asked with as slight bow.

"Care for Papa, Follow Mother's orders as she issues them. Do not hinder her in any manner if she wishes to tend to Papa herself, aid her with every thing she needs, I have to see the Queen. If anyone needs me I am not to be sent for until I return to this room. I do not know how long that will be" Yaeko said the servant nodded and left. Yaeko watched the servant lead before she too turned and left the manor heading out the front gates to the street, getting onto a Muledeer Carriage she directed the driver to the castle.

The ride to the castle was slow, and long, even in the dead of night when no one was on the roads. The roads were still smooth, the unending movement made Yaeko sick to her stomach. The realization of what she had to do, face her past and overcome it, hit her hard the more she stared at that gauntlet. As the Carriage came to a stop outside the gates of the castle, there was a shuffling before the guards barked at her to leave the carriage, or better yet, leave the castle. The claws of the gauntlet extended slowly, curling just the ends, ready to destroy all in her path as if by nature.

"Oi! Didn't you hear me? The Queen's not taking visiters now, now get!" the guard wrenched open the carriage door while yelling, only for his eyes to widen upon seeing Yaeko with that Guanlet.

Yaeko heard the Guard calling to her, the last few moments of the ride to the Castle Gates she had closed her eyes to focus, To not do something stupid. When the carriage door was opened and the guard went slack jawed she opened her eyes and turned to him. Upon seeing the man he recognised her, clearly as Yaeko Wolfe, the eldest daughter of James Wolfe. Yaekos green eyes glittered in the light of the nearby castle walls as the darkness set in. "I am expected" Yaeko said standing and stepping towards the guard, the man dutifully stepped back to allow her to exit the carriage. "Now, you can do your job and inform the queen that the Successor of the title of Master Wolfe has arrived as per your orders, or I can go myself. Which will it be ?"

Of course that was bound to get any guards hackles up, for all they knew she'd killed her father and took the title and gauntlet, but that wasnt the case, either way these dozen or so men didnt recognise her authority as Matriarch Wolfe. Mostly because she'd handed them their asses the week before

The Guards narrowed their eyes collectively, and stared at her, saying nothing at first. "How on Earth did iyou/i of all people get that gauntlet? Is this some sort of sick joke?" one of them growled.

Yaeko didnt even smile at the mention of sick joke "No, but if you want I can tell the queen myself after I hand you your asses again, its up to you." She was already thinknig on how she could make the Guard better. Her brother would make a nice Captain of the Royal Guard now that she really thought about it

"Sure, we'll tell the queen, after we're done beating you for what you did over the last few years." said another, cracking his knuckles. "Get her."

With that, it was on, five guards rushed her at once, all aiming to do something different, three different punches, two low kicks. Simple enough to start. Stepping into the group, Yaeko slammed two of them backwards, the two practically flipping and landing on their heads right where they were. The other three turned to follow her, but she was ahead of them, turning for a hook kick, she nailed all three in the face with her heel, the jaw of the first one hit shattering. By then the first two were back up, and Yaeko followed up her hook kick with a roundhouse to one of their faces, knocking him out, before super-man (or woman, in this case) punching the other one right in the cheek, knocking him out as well as knocking a few teeth loose. Two more stood and the went for their swords. Yaeko stepped in, grabbing their wrists to stop them for a second before moving her hands up to their heads, slapping them both hard enough to knock their helmets loose before grabbing them each by their hair, and then slamming their faces into one another not once, but five times in rapid succession.

None of them would see straight for at least a month.

Yaeko then dusted off her hands, with a unhappy grunt she muttered simply "Looks like I have to trell the Queen myself, I tried to say it simply, but you guys are thick headed idijits!" She stepped over the last two she had knocked senseless and stepped through the gates. Apparently the guards on the otherside had been informed by somebody to be sure not to piss off the woman with the strange metal left arm

Then again that memo seemed to have been lost by at least a few Guards that were inside the castle itself once she passed through the courtyard. Putting both hands to the door she opened the dual oak doors and stepped into the entry hall of the massive castle. Another dozen guards waited for her, most of them simply standing guard as directed, the rest unhappy and looking for a fight.

Yaeko smirked "There's about a dozen of you laying around outside after they didnt do as I asked them, how'd you get here so quick ?" She said jerking a metal clad thumb behind her. It was on again

The ones standing guard grit their teeth, their pole-arms gleaming in the moonlight as they never moved, knowing full well what the gauntlet on the girls arm meant. The others charged her once more, all at once. Yaeko caught the first guard in a sort of bear hug, keeping him from moving while she spun, lifting the much heavier man to toss him into his friends. She kept the circular momentum going into a flurry of wide punches and kicks, slapping, scratching, slamming, and knocking out half of the guards before she stopped, and began to spin the other way to counter act the dizziness, stopping after a few rotations in a low stance that would be painted later, and then even later found by Mark in the depths of the Wolfe Manor.

Her left leg was straight as she put all her weight down on her right, bending the knee into her chest with her arms splayed out like a great bird, gauntlet-bearing hand open with the claws out, and her right hand closed around the face of one of the guards, who was grabbing at it violently as she squeezed his head like a pimple. Eventually he'd pass out and she'd drop him, before dive-rolling into the center of the remaining guards, and with a flurry of straight punches, knocked three of them to the floor, she kicked one's leg out to the point of his knee breaking, and was about to slam her elbow into the nose of the last one before a voice cried out.

"Stop this at once!"

Yaeko's elbow froze a mere centimeter away from the man's nose, his eyes already closed and face flinching in preparation for the rearrangement of facial features. The newly annoited Matriarch narrowed her eyes and flicked his eye instead, knocking him to the ground with the pain and agony accompanied with being flicked in the eye.

"Your highness." the Matriarch nodded her head. The Princess stood before her - Princess Paz, the current only daughter of the current Queen, Arenya, was not happy at this sight, the furrowed eyebrows and tightly clenched fists at her side being the indication.

"I was on my way to go and eat supper when I hear this commotion, and here I see... what, our old Troublemaker Wolfe beating the life out of my Guards?" Paz growled, gesturing to the bodies squirming and groaning on the ground in agony.

"To be fair, they wouldn't let me see your Mother, as I am directed to so." Yaeko held up the Gauntlet, and the Princess's eyes narrowed for a moment before huffing and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Very well, follow me, _Mistress_ Wolfe." she said. No matter how much Yaeko insisted to call her by her name, or at least Master Wolfe, Paz never would, it was always Mistress Wolfe, even when she lay in her death bed. "Honestly if you wanted to see my mother you only had to send a pidgeon. This isn't the stone age where you _have_ to make un-anounced visits."

"Again, to be fair, I just got the job..." Yaeko said calmly.

An unimpressed "Hmph" was heard, and Yaeko rolled her eyes and took in a deep breath to calm herself.

"Yeah I tried to tell them, take me to the Queen and I wont hand them their asses, they chose for me to hand them their asses and even accused me of killing my father, which is not the case here however." Everyone in Arendelle knew the legendary James Wolfe, A maser of both arcane and painting arts. the leader of the Wolfe Clan, well used to be leader, Queen Arenya was going to make an announcement about it the next day for sure

Paz just gave off another unimpressed huff, which caused Yaeko to smirk beind the Princesses' back, for being a 18 year old spoiled brat, Paz did the part rather well. They came to the great doors leading to the massive dining hall of the castle and two guards standing there bowed and pulled the doors open, allowing the two women to enter, giving the new Matriarch a respectful nod, which made Yaeko smile slightly, these were the type of guards needed in the castle. not a spoiled brats own men who acted more like ruffians than soldiers

"Yaeko?" the Queen called over, squinting to see her from behind her daughter, who was blocking the view of the gauntlet as well. "Pray tell me what you are doing here, child. Don't tell me something happened to James..." Arenya stood and moved towards her, and gasped as she saw the gauntlet, biting her bottom lip. "So... he's handed off the Title... is he,... still alive?"

Yaeko nodded, "Master Wolfe still lives, but for how long I do not know" She then detailed how her father had fallen ill and that the illness had become steadily worse the last nine years. "Today was the succession, the Gauntlet chose me. When it was done Papa collapsed, the Servants rushed him safely to bed. I do not know what ails him, If you wish to see him, I do not know how much longer he has." Little did either of them know that the next morning he'd not want to see the queen but his daughter all day.

Yaeko bit her bottom lip then, "I was instructed to come here, to see you, but... some of your guards may need a Healer or six. Maybe a month of bedrest or training in manners and following orders." She said, detailing , in brief, the scuffles outside and witjhin the Castle with certain guards. She could tell Queen Arenya was either tentative or slightly unnerved at her actions before she became Matriarch.

Arenya cast a glance to her eldest daughter, Paz clearly was unhappy, but then again when was she not unhappy ? Spoiled kid for sure, but Arenya had a smile on her face as she nodded, she knew of Yaeko's perchant for causing troublew with the guards. "I tried to tell her mother, that all this could have been avoided had she sent a pigeon but no, she had to come herself!" Paz huffed as she took her seat at the table

Arenya smirked, turning to Yaeko from her daughter. "You did right in coming yourself. It was and is your duty to do so. In coming yourself you faced many unhappy soldiers who had more than a bone to pick with you. You did not end their lives for this we are greatful" Arenya looked to her daughter who simply nodded but said nothing preferring instead to eat. "I amn glad you came, I was hoping to tell your father the good news, but knowing you are now Matriarch then it is even better."

Yaeko was confused "Good news your Majesty ?" She asked tilting her head slightly in confusion

"Yes, I spoke with the Healers, I am oddly hungrier than normal recently, they said I am with child" Yaeko smiled, soon she too wanted to be a mother, and ewith Light's Blessing how would she be for a mother ? At the words of her mother being with child Paz did a spit take, all but drenching the servant that poured the water. Arenya and Yaeko looked her way as Arenya continued "According to the healer, its twins." There came a thud as Paz passed out on the table.

Her perfect world had just gone to crap

 **Arendelle**

 **Wolfe Manor**

 **The next morning**

It had been a full night since she had been chosen as the next Matriach, everyone in the family knew their father was dying, the cuerrent leader of the Wolfe Clan, Master Wolfe everyone called him, even his wife. But what should be a happy occasion was marred by the information Yaeko was given the night before by her mother There was nothing left the Doctors could do for her father. Not even the Royal Healers could stop or even remove the ravnous cancer that plauged her father. Radiation posioning, many called it, but no, Yaeko knew the truth, her father wasnt posioned, it was simply his body wanting to simply stop working. It was the sheer willpower of her father that kept him going.

Yaeko entered her fathers bedroom, her mother had sent for her and was waiting, her mother gave a soft bow and took herl eave, leaving father and daughter together. "You wanted to see me Papa ?"

The old Master of the Wolfe family nodded, his bright green eyes glittered in the sunlight of the morning "Yes my child, come, close the door and sit down. I have much I need to tell you" As she closed the door to the bedroom her father began speaking. giving her a history and instructions on how to lead the Clan, the same instructions he was given by his own father before he died.

For hours the two spoke, taking breaks only long enough to eat, finally as daylight waned, Yaeko remembered the request of Light the night before, before dinner. so she told her father about it. Her father smiled. "it is by Her grace you were born to us my dear girl"Her father told her. He took a deep breath "Come help Papa to bed, I need my rest. Remember what I told you, the Gauntlet will chose the next Master of the Clan, when that time comes it will let you know. No matter how long it takes."

Yaeko helped her father to his bed and helped him lay down. A tear streaked from the young womans face. She was the new Matriarch of the clan now. And she knew it. Her father soon passed into sleep, and while she watched him, she saw his chest rise and fall in peaceful slumber until he briefly woke up Yaeko had tears in her eyes, her father opened his eyes briefly, looking towards her, a peaceful smile on his face. _iDo not weep for me my child_ " He said to her softly, " _I am with Light, and Light is with me, become the leader you were born to be._ " With those wordshe breathed his last. Yaeko dropped to her knees before her fathers bed, her head to his uncovered hand, she cried.

At 19 years of age, she was the youngest of the Wolfe Clan to ever take the role of the Leader.

 **18 February**

 **Gilja Norway**

 **CIA Complex**

 **Present day**

"When I ask you a question I expect you to answer it. Answer it wrong, problems arise." A voice said, the CIA agent in charge of the op set some files on the desk before him, two other men were with him. "Has our... guest... spoken ?"

"No sir"

"You are sure ?"

"The only information was the stuff you managed to get out of her in the dreamshare. We werent able to get anything new off that."

"Well, then it is time for more drastic measures, Get the boards ready. I tried to avoid going this far, but... seems that is the only direction to go at this stage."

As much as the two lackies didnt want to do it, the three left the office and headed to the room where their guest, a certain young woman, a queen, laid tied down to a bed.

The building measured a good two kilometers long, three floors above ground in a hilly region of Norway. Gilja wasnt known for its technology,. but when the CIA bought the site and began investing heavily on simply weather research as a cover the building was a technology marvel. When first built in the late 1970s it only had one hall leading to the right, the old halls it was then called, since then the building had been greatly expanded to its present size, a good three floors above ground, with three floors below ground, split down the middle with a centeral parkland.

The lobby itself was large and had a row of computer stations along one wall while another wall had more cordoned off waiting areas and cubicles set up like a massive maze. there was also two security posts by both the cubicles and the row of information desks upon entry to the building. None of those present and working were expecting the group of a dozen people, men and women alike, dressed in strange colored garb

Of the dozen men and women one stood out from the rest with her brilliant white hair and black eyes ringed in blue. Her hair had what looked like ice in it as some pearls also formed a headband of a sort with a glasslike teal snowflake or star on her forehead. the guards on duty however recognised the strange woman as one they already had in custody

The security guards looked at each other as Kanwar walked towards the information desk to ask for certain directions. her blue ringed black eyed gaze caught sight of one of the security officers going for his raido, the other simply watched her movemtns as the men and women with her went towards the cubicles. two of the Guardians saw the guards heading for Kanwar but she waved them off when they moved her way. They were hers.

Twenty minutes was all it took for pretty much every possible CIA officer on security work to land on his ass and writhe in pain on the floor as Kanwar made her way to a bank of computers, going through them she found exactly what she sought. Seeing who they sought on the screen she smiled. She then left the security control room and went back to the front offices. Calling to the other Guardians " _We're done here, we have what we need, lets go_ " The dozen people that raided out of nowhere the CIA, then left as if they had never been there. Word swiftly sent by way of the Sparrows

 **18 February 2052**

 **Arendelle**

 **Marketplace Assassin Den**

 **Bedroom**

 **Moments later**

He felt a hand shake him. Heard faintly a voice calling to him to wake up. Ever since the morning before when he witnessed his aunt teaching a den defense structure he'd blacked out. " _The bond between us is growing stronger_ " He heard a voice say. Mark sat up, he saw Serenity trying to wake him up. He turned to the voice and saw Kalda standing there ghostlike " _You are seeing into my own memories_ " Kalda said

" _Yaeko, she made your swords, she made... .those swords... swords that woman took from her tomb._ " Mark said, Kalda nodded " _That woman in white, with the long white hair, that wasnt Yaeko Yaeko had black hair, and even now it's as dark as ever. Who was that other woman ? The woman... fighting... officers ?_ "

" _That I do not know_ " Kalda replied, he knew it was indeed Kanwar, but why she was fighting policemen and women in the Mortal realm he couldnt explain " _She is familar to me yes, but, who she is and why I find myself unable to say_ " He was lying, he had his secrets, he knew it was Kanwar, but he couldnt explain why she was in the Mortal Realm muchless fighting modern soldiers. thankfully Mark didnt press him for answers.

Mark smirked, Kalda simply smiled in return " _You gonna let me wake up ?_ " Kalda nodded

" _Sorry about the memory trip I... didnt mean for that_ " He said somewhat sheepishly as Mark simply nodded and fell back asleep, groaning in the waking world at his sisters shaking him nonstop. " _Mind your eyes, by the way._ "

Mark groaned as his eyes fluttered open, looking up at the ceiling of what was obviously his home in Arendelle, this wasn't his bed though. Not this lumpy. He grunted again as he rolled onto his side first, and then onto his hands and knees as his vision began to clear.

Three words rang in his ear "Get. Off. Me" Apparently the bed he was put on, which since the room at the time was pitch dark, was that of his sister, Serenity. He could see it was her thanks to the fur... wait, wasnt she burnt and unable to shift form ? When mark didnt move Serenity put her hands and feet under her, like any cat would, and stood on all fours, sending Mark off her bed

Mark grunted as he flopped onto the ground with a harsh landing, groaning in pain his hand going to his head softly as he grunted, his eyes shifting to Eagle Vision as they adjusted to the low light. "Where the hell...? I'm...what?" He stood slowly, and paused upon seeing his sister's form, albeit under the covers, she still slept in the nude. Blinking slowly, Mark let out a sigh of discontent.

"We say nothing about this...agreed?" he asked, averting his eyes.

"Aunt Blackie dropped you in here this morning; I was asleep and... just now I felt weight on me... you... the hell happened ?" Serenity asked; one second she saw her brother heading out the door in her sleep, next thing she knew, he was ontop of her, also asleep. "Did Aunt Blackie knock you out again for mouthing off ?"

She shook her head, her tail curling around her legs as she shifted form effortlessly and also painlessly to her more preferred Tiger form. "The hell did you eat dear brother ?"

"I...don't want to talk about it." He said, his mind processing where he was. They were siblings, nudity didn't mean much to them at this point, though still, it caught him off guard, having thought he would wake in his own room. He sat on the edge of her bed and sighed. He took a moment to smell his own breath, shrugging. "As for what I ate...hell if I know. Maybe being passed out makes your breath smell?" he looked to his sister, leaning against the bed frame.

"Ah!" The tiger on the bed pointed a claw at her brother "I know that look! And I know thqat tone! you were doing a Den Defense training with Aunt Blackie, but now you're here ?! Mark, dont tell me you passed out again! Mother's getting worried!" Serenity sighed, the second largest room in the house had a piloe of pillows, and two nice beds designed for ,...well.. humans not four hundred and fifty pound tigers. Serenity set a gentle paw on her brothers leg. "Mark... tell me, please, what happened ? What did you see ?"

Well, that was a story in and of itself

Mark was silent for a moment before putting his hand on her paw gently, his head thumping against the wall as he sighed. "I dunno, really...memories. I saw memories...not my own, though." he said. "You remember that experiment the Templars did? The Animus? It was like that...but more. I wasn't just watching the memory but, I felt more...I felt the emotions of everyone there. Yaeko...my Ancestor, Yaeko Wolfe...I saw her become Matriarch...her father dying..." He shook his head. He licked his lips to wetten them and then sighed again.

"I dunno..."

"Yaeko... " Serenity repeated softly, wondering, briefly who he meant, then she nodded "The woman in the tomb!" At her brothers confused look she explained "A few weeks ago I went looking for you, found you in the tomb, that woman, Yaeko, her name was on the doors, you were in there on the floor asleep!"

Then she went thoughtful, well, as thoughtful as any tiger could look, "This wouldnt have anything to do with that crystal you've been reading those weird runes off of would it ?" How did she know that ? oh right they shared the massive bedroom. Plus that weird woman in white with branches in her hair had given him the thing, he even zoned out when he got it

His eyes darted to his sister when she mentioned the cyrstal, Kalda's journal. He knew she couldn't read the Draconian Runes, hell, he couldn't really read most of them, but he was learning with the help of Kalda. "It might, but again...I'd rather not talk about." He said calmly, looking his sister in the eyes, his eyes, glowing bronze, and ringed in silver, twitched, the pupils verticle, reptilian rather than circular and human-like. He smiled though, and started to stand up to leave.

Her paw stayed on his leg, holding him down, She put a bit of weight on it. "You heard what Aunt Blackie said ther last time you passed out like this ?" She said, "If you're seeing the past, you have to face it because the more you try to leave it behind, the harder it will strike when it refuses to stay in the past." She gave her brother a look. A look he knew all too well, sure she might not understand Draconian Runes, but she was worried for her brother. Then his eyes lit up silver. "What is it ?"

He stood, her paw slipping off. iThat's/i why Yaeko fought the guards. Facing her past. He bit his bottom lip, and looked to his sister with a smile, patting her shoulder for a moment before walking out, needing time to think as well as something to eat.

The tiger smiled as her brother patted her shoulder, nodding, hopefully her meaning got across, but he was... oddly in a brighter mood. Did he learn something ? She made to follow him but her fuzzy butt wouldnt get into first gear and she ended up flopping back into bed, her face on her pillow, within a few seconds she was snoring again


	39. Seqeunce 9 Memory 5

**_Jellicle's Creed_**

 ** _Frozen Memories_**

 ** _Seqeunce 9_**

 ** _Memory 5: Crystalise part 2_**

 **19 February 2052**

 **Marketplace Assassin Den**

 **Arendelle**

 **Just before dinner**

 _"There is no Chaos, there is Harmony"_

 **\- The Jedi Code**

This was truly going to be a long night, Snowfeather knew it clearly as she already had a blinding headache. Her son, Mark, along with both of her daughters stood waiting for her next set of mission contracts. Snowfeather simply sat at her desk, her elbows upon it, head in her hands, Mark could see clearly then the white bengal markings his mother possessed. It was clear by the pained sounding growls and grunts from Snowfeather that there was indeed a problem.

Finally after about a moment or so Snowfeather spoke. "Elsa has been missing" Ok that wasnt good. "For the last three days, the Elsiar Brothel has been keeping careful watch on things, secret meetings, the Queen apparently had a twin there in the case she'd be needed. We werent told this until just before I called for you three"

Serena spoke first. "What do you want us to do Mother ?" Of the two girls, both of them looked alarmingly like Elsa aside from haircolor. Snowfeather had to think carefully as Serena spoke the question.

Snowfeather finally looked up from massaging her forehead to try and kill the migraine she had. Looking first to Serena, then to Serenity, the latter of which still had scars on her face that were quickly healing thanks to the healing spells. She took a deep breath. her mind made up. "Serena, I want you to dye your hair platnium white, with your hair dyed you look identical to Elsa, lately her hair hasnt been braided, you seem her size, if not the Assassin Seamstress can make you a set of Elsas royal gown" Serena nodded, thankful for no ice gown.

Snowfeather turned to Mark and Serenity, her second daughter and adopted son looked at her expectantly. "The two of you will meet up with a contact in a city called Gilja, its a 14 hour drive, none of us have been there so a transportation array wont work. Our contact there has reported extreme CIA activity and belives Elsa is there. I trust her word and that of... an old friend." She said. Serenity nodded, "By time of your arrival your burn scars will be healed. Like Mark mentinioed, the more stronger districts are more ready for the liberation strikes. Some of them their soldiers are... hyped up; this will get you two out of Arendelle and lure the templars into a false sense of security, with you two leaving, their top targets I might add. they will think they can have some peace, In the mean time I will take care of liberation of the next two districts. Serena, get to the castle. Mark, Serenity, your ship leaves in ten minutes, be on it"

Serenity nodded again, "Yes Momma" She said, almost dejectedly before her mother smiled

"Take Slicer with you, with it you can scout ahead and get around any CIA traps or find out if Elsa is really there before going in" Snowfeather said as an afterthought, it made Serenity smile and all but happly say yes to the mission. Finally she could use Slicer on a mission again! When they turned to leave Snowfeather spoke up "Try and keep the place standing, the less people know about our attack the better."

 **Arendelle**

 **Talz District**

 **Brothel**

 **At that same moment**

Tiri paced in the courtyard, this was crazy, sure she looked and sounded like Elsa, but for Elsa to be missing so long. This was driving her crazy, possibly too crazy. She paced in the private courtyard, thankfully she didnt have to act as Elsa for another day now, three days was enough, the Assassin's had it covered now, so she was all set, but she saw that some of the girls were worried about something. "Its about Elsa missing, isnt it ?" She asked

She couldnt have been more wrong. But before Tiri or trhe girls could speak, their attention was taken by the arrival of a woman, clearly a woman by look of how the person carried herself, her long black hair framed a masked face with a wide cloth hat covering her head to shield from the sunlight. The woman did not look familar to Tiri. Dressed in various shades of green and silver.

The woman moved with a purpose, eyes an pale green hue darted first to the girls, then to Tiri, Then from the women to the door itself, this was where the letter sent her, this was where her boss was. Heading for the steps, the strange woman lightly stepped up the four steps without so much as a crunch of hardpacked snow underfoot and stepped to the door and entering the Brothel. Well this was interesting. Both Tiri and Marion watched the woman disappear inside the building, the door closing without a sound.

Tiri jerked a thumb in the direction the woman went "Who was that ?" to that end none of the girls had an answer. Unseen by anyone a ghostly form standing atop a nearby building smirked and disappeared. A new guest had joined the party

The unknown woman gave a somewhat dirty look from her amber eyes towards the woman at the entry desk, only to get pointed towards the stairs and told, last door at the end fo the hall. The woman in green simply nodded her thanks and stepped up the stairs. the design of the womans dress alone spelled oriental or even otherworldly, or otherwise. But the truth was, the woman was in fact native to that area. Easily stalking down the hall to the last door she entered it and looked around the room

"I was not expecting you until after what is to come, during the clean up in fact" Light said from the third floor observatory room that looked out upon the kingdom of Arendelle, it reminded her the most of her own crystal Court

"Conditions arose, I had to do something, there was no means to get information to here as all Assassin links in Southern Isiles is cut or washed away" The unknown woman said, her face behind a silk mask, her lumicent green eyes stared out at the world. The jade green clothing the woman wore was edged and enlaid with silver designs. Only Light knew who this woman was, and how important she was in the coming weeks.

Light never looked towards the woman, crossing her arms she spoke simply "Conditions ?"

The unknown woman withdrew from her sleeve a silver stone and a hologram projected from it, it showed two people, a older woman, and a frail child. "They arrived two weeks ago by ship. My job was to ensure their transport to the palace from the docks under cover of night. The Prince gave orders for it so I had to do it. Though I hated doing it to them both. I fear for the child, if only I had one of Grandfathers Healing Stones..."

"The healing stones will be of little use here, the level of frailty of the child proves something stronger than a healing stone will be needed" Light broke in thoughtfully; whatever she was thinking the unknown woman had no answer for.

"And what can provide such power to heal one so frail ?" Came the question

Light smiled, looking over her shoulder to the woman. "Well, aside from me, there is one thing: The Shroud." she said. "That thing can heal and cure just about any ailment, even the rarest forms of Cancer given time." Light wasn't wasting time with this, the faster the child was in tip-top shape the better, and the faster she could fulfil her birthright.

"Find it, save the child."

Lady's eyes went wide, She recalled legends about the Shroud. "Find it ? Is it in Arendelle ?" If the shroud was indeed in Arendelle that gave her a starting point, but she didnt have a lot of time based on the child's condition by that point, two weeks by ship to and from the Southern Isles' capital of Southton. The crystal disappeared up her sleeve as she crossed her arms in thought

There had to be a place she could begin looking without arousing suspicion off the bat. But where ? She then remembered briefly a secret way into the palace. "I'll start in the Palace, as a girl the guards there took a liking to my ... me... and some friends I guess they were" She briefly saw a boy and girl with her and the guards at the barracks just inside the Castle Courtyard seemingly ages before. "If those guards are still there they can be of help. Maybe." She sighed, then looked to Light "Is there anything else I should be aware of in my time away ?" Aside from the Brothel being opened and the Assassin's having more of a stronger presence in the kingdom...

Light paused for a moment. "Try to avoid people who seem familiar. At least, for now. I'll explain later. Your mission is to get the shroud." she said sternly, perhaps the most stern she'd been in a while - but this point was important, and must be followed. "Many of the Palace guards have been replaced with Assassins, they will notice anything out of the ordinary, so do your best to not be seen. If you do, use your training and your...assets, to get you out of trouble."

Light's tone was serious, but she couldn't help but crack a smirk at the innuendo. It seemed that even the mighty All-Mother wasn't above them, and she even enjoyed them. She quickly became serious again and nodded. "Now go...with the condition that child is, I doubt she'll have longer than a month to live."

Lady nodded, , Light was unnaturally stern but she didnt questuion the All-Mothers motives, Lady knew far better than to do so. She too smuirked at the mention of getting the job done no matter what and not to get seen by anyone. Most Tigris could get around literally unntoiced like a certain pair of twins

Lady smirked, close to laughing. Light Trained her in the arts of pure stealth, nothing could find her execept Lady Kanwar or Light herself, though sometimes Asaca stumbled on her when faking being a white tiger rug. Mere thought of using her assets to get out of trouble... seducing men... she hadnt done that in a long time. Not since Galen simply fell for her whe she first laid her eyes on him. Lady nodded again, bowing her head and saluting in the standard salute she took her leave. Passing someone who felt... cold in the hallway

 **Arendelle Castle**

 **Moments Later**

"I fuckin' hate guard duty man." said one guard, standing in the courtyard leading into the palace, doing his job, albeit reluctantly. He looked to his fellow guard on the other side of the door, and leaned towards him. "Y'know where I'd rather be?"

There was an uneasy silence before the other guard sighed. "Where?"

"The Brothel. Helluva lot warmer in there, plus, there's some girls with massive-" it was at this opportunity that Lady darted into view before moving out of view, her already...less-than-classy outfit hugging her form with the wind resistance and dampness from the falling snow.

Again silence for a good moment. "On second thought, if I get to see that one more time today, fuck the Brothel. I'll be good for the fuckin' week."

"Not sure you can fuck the whole Brothel, and I'm not sure the Queen or the Mistress of the place would let you deface an innocent building. Why don't you try one of the girls instead?"

"Good idea... I'll uh...make sure to take my time next break I get."

"I think I'll join you."

"Nah man, get your own girl."

"You know what I meant."

"Well I'm not for fuckin sale either!"

"Gah! Fuck it, I'm going home after our shift."

"After our what?"

"Our shift, why what'd you think I said?"

"Our shit."

"I'm going to stab you."

That was all Lady heard as she easily snuck into the Palace, All the guards she hoped to recognise never spotted her as she ducked into the first room she could, the main study of a sort, where Elsa did all her dealings. She heard voices in the hall and smirked, time to use that training. Quickly shifting form she laid spread eagle on the floor, mouth open, her eyes watching the two guards, two compeltely different guards she had never seen before wander in checking the room. They never gave the 'white tiger rug' on the floor a second look as they checked the room before leaving.

Soon as the door closed and she heard the lock latch down, Lady closed her mouth and stood up before shifting to her human form she went to the desk, Elsa's desk, everything was neat and tidy, she went over it with a careful eye, her hand went briefly towards the drawers and she felt the hints of cold. Snaking out a claw she spiked it against the the sheer cold of the desk wood, breaking the seal and going through, carefully to not disturb anything more than the seal, to find any note of the Shroud. Finding nothing she gently reset the desk, using her magic she reset even the ice seal Elsa left on it

Nothing in the study. Lady moved to the door and listened, she heard voices, three male, two female.

"What do you mean someone entered the Castle without permission ? How could anyone get past the guards on duty ?" It was Anna, she was confused. Apparently someone had spotted Lady, and not just the two men looking for a date keeping watch on the front door

"Well, there was that man who attempted to kill Sir Kristoff here" the guard replied

"True" Came Anna's reply. Anna turned to Diana, who had apparently been assigned by Mark to keep watch in the Castle when he couldnt be there because she could get to places he couldnt as Kristoff crossed his arms over his broad chest. There ewas a hint of worry in his eyes

"This is why my... Mentor replaced many guards with Assassins, especially ones within the Palace itself. A breach of security while he is away is unacceptable. Find this intruder before they hurt anyone or steal anything important or it won't be just me you'll answer to, it'll be Master Wolfe." God that felt weird saying. She almost slipped up and called Mark her brother again, but Marion was careful, and kept up the guise of Diana well.

The guards nodded and spread out to search the palace for any signs of the intruder.

"Referring them to Mark? That's a bit harsh, don't you think?" Kristoff asked, tilting his head to the side a bit.

"He'd do the same in my position, only he'd likely refer them to one of _his_ mentors. Either Blackmane or Snowfeather." Diana answered.

"Now **that** would be harsh."

"Indeed, but needed; Your safety is his world it seems..." Diana said, her voice trailing off.

Anna nodded "You're right, Andre, if the intruder is found, bringthem to us, we'll be in the dining room" Anna said to the guard who nodded a ways down the hall. She turned to Kristoff and Diana,. "Shall we eat ?" Was on her mind but she asked instead "Did you fgind anything of my sister ?" Running the country with a lookalike was one thing, but being with Tiri made Anna nervous as hell as they moved towards the dining room

Elsa had been missing now for three days, and Anna was nervous, where was her sister, had any news of where she last was been found or heard ? "Any news on Master Wolfe ?" If there was news on Mark, then there was news on Elsa... somewhere. Lady heard the footsteps receed down the hall before qujietly opening the door, using a claw she was able to see back down the hall like a mirror before silently following the threesome of Diana, Anna and Kristoff, only this time Lady took to the rafters above quiet as... a cat actually

Diana shook her head when it came to news on Elsa, but did have news on Mark. "Master Wolfe has left Arendelle with his sister to go and find Elsa, apparently her location is known, but they refused to tell me anything further than he is leaving, and has chosen me as your personal guard in his absence." She explained.

"But anyway, let's eat. I've had nothing since breakfast, and that was at four in the morning." she said with a smile.

"You sure wake up early child" Lady mused softly from above, she felt the pull of a Piece somewhere nearby, she was right, the Castle had the Shroud somewhere inside it, the fabeled, legendary Shroud of Eden was near her hiding place in the rafters. She went stiff as a board as a pair of guards walked under her directly. She blinked as her vision shifted slightly catching another pair of guards in the next hallway. Then she loked up at the floor above, it was empty.

Empty save for one lone guard by a locked door, to which she knew he had the key to said door. Creeping through a air vent in the castle Lady slid into the hall around the corner from where the guard stood at attention, bored stiff. She used a claw to see around the corner, one guard, and she focused her Sight on him, and he had the only key to that room. She smirked and slid her claws away before peeking carefully around the corner when he looked away.

Time to put her body to use! She whistled and faked a giggle, she heard the man look her way, doubtless trhe idea of a Brothel girl to see him when on duty...

 _"Holy hell...must be an early birthday present from the boys...thank you God!"_ he thought as he caught sight of the beautiful woman in a skimpy outfit, practically showing off everything that wasn't considered to be public indecency. He began to move, pausing only for a second as he considered staying at his post to guard the door, but the temptation of a mediocer night becoming one for the old journal entry later was too much to resist. He moved, slowing down as to playfully flirt with the woman behind the corner, who for all he knew was stripping down to nothing as he moved.

He rounded the corner, "Hello beau-" WHAM! His head met the wall hard, and he crumped to the ground without another word.

Lady smirked, that was stupidly easy. Easily pocketing the key she patted the poor guard on the face, but as he bearly looked her way and saw her eyes, he had to wonder before blackness took him as he passed out from the pain, where had he seen eyes that shade of green before ?

Lady went right to the locked door and opened it, passing inside she locked the door behind her. Tigris were naturals when it came to sneaking around unseen, and she wasnt expecting on showing a bit more than a little leg, She didnt care. Though she knew she had a few minutes. She grabbed a nearby curtain off its rod, the pale valvet frabric was perfect for her need. She looked around, the Shroud had to be close,

Aha!

Lady smirked upon seeing it, feeling the power of the legendary device before her even though the plain white oak box it was kept in. Lifted it into the courtain she wrapped it a few times then spun it onto her back before tying off the curtain, like a makeshift backpack onto her body, She listened at the door carefully before stepping into the hallway, sadly the guard she had just knocked out was just coming to when she locked the door and ran smack into him, her knee colliding with his face with a **CRACK** knocking him clean out again as she hissed at the contact. She slid the key back around his neck as if she never took it. With some parting words softly "I dont envy you the headache you will have when you wake, in the meanwhile, rest easy, and dream of pretty women" Lady then took off to the vent and hid in the rafters again, she had to get out of the castle, without getting noticed... of course the knocked out guard might get noticed in,,,,

Three... Two... One...

She counted off before she heard voices and running feet to her right through the wall as she hid perfectly in the rafters... above the dining room directly unseen by the three eating at the table below.

Oh dear

 _Please dont look up_ Lady mentally prayed to Light when she spotted not one, but six Assassins in the room scattered keeping watch, one eating with the Princess and the large fellow, Lady didnt kniow it then but Krisotff, thanks to being raised with the Rock Trolls, was actually hella strong

As Marion ate, and talked with Anna and Kristoff, she couldn't get the nagging feeling that something was off. She hid it well and continued as if nothing were wrong at all. Until, that is, until Diamond decided otherwise.

 _"Psst. Hey. You, me, whatever we are at this moment...y'know what you haven't done in a while?"_ Diamond's playful voice rang out in Marion's mind. _"You havn't stretched your neck in a while, right? Why don't you go ahead? It's getting stuffy in here, stretching airs it out. Also, be sure to look straight up. I think there's something up there."_

Marion gave a smile and then yawned, stretching out her whole slender body while rolling her head and lthen looking up to complte the stretch, staring right at Lady, but seeing nothing. Her Silver Ringed eyes locked with those of Lady, but still Marion saw nothing. _"Coulda swore something was up there..."_ Diamond's voice faded out, cueing Marion to return to the conversation of how Kristoff made the engagement ring by himself, with help and guidance of Mark.

When Marion looked up, Lady's heart hammered in her throat as their eyes locked, she could feel, see clearly, the woman looking dead at her, but then the woman down below looked back to the Princess and Kristoff as if nothing was amiss. Oh man, that was too close. She had to get out of there. Without a sound Lady darted rafter to rafter, easily passing through the rafters to an overhead balcony and sneaking into a hallway, of course hearing everything in the dining room at the time

Anna was showing off the engagement ring, how Mark had helped Kristoff make the things was one thing, but the fact that Kristoff did all the work with Mark directing him how to do it only made it so much better. It also made, Anna could see, Diana seem almost wistful about something, or someone. When Marion yawned and strentched Anna gave her a confused look "Sleepy ?" They'd just started eating, and what wonderful food they had, if Diana had been up since 4 am, then she had to eat something to keep going didnt she ?

A servant entered, "Ladies, Sir Ice Master, the guards reported one of their members asleep, knocked out, the healer is tending to him, his jaw was fractured, The assailant has not been found. He stood guard outside your sisters private study"

Anna raised an eyebrow. Casting a look towards Diana and to Kristoff, "Go on"

"The only thing the guard remembers is seeing pale green eyes. Cannot recall anything further, what is more, the study is unmolested and we cannot see anything amiss or missing. What shall we do ?"

Anna looked to Diana, what to do ?

Diana nodded at the mention of her being tired, but smiled to lull away the worry, however as the servant entered to deliver his news on the knocked out guard, Diana placed a hand on her chin in thought, before looking to the Assassin's in the room. "Post more guards at every important area, perform a full sweep of the Palace, but do so quietly, word musn't get out that anything went wrong, or Mar-Master Wolfe will have my head." she said, almost stumbling on Mark's Name and Title.

The assassins present nodded at the orders, "Yes ma'am" one of them said, all but two of them left the dining room as Anna sat back in her chair. "Elsa is missing for three days now, and today, tonight... someone breaks into her study using the only key by knocking out the only guard on duty." Anna was so lost in her musings she never saw Diana glance back up at the empty rafters. This was confusing to say in the least. The servant shortly returned however and with him was... well it wasnt Elsa, she wasnt THAT well muscled, but toherwise Elsa was there.

"Elsa ?" It was Serena, Marks elder sister and Serenity's older twin

Diana shot to her feet and stood, eyebrows furrowed as she stared at Serena as Elsa. She'd seen the face enough to know it wasn't Elsa, but then smiled. She'd play along. "Your Majesty, I ...we thought you were gone?" She questioned, her surprise real enough to fool everyone in the room. "How...was it you who snuck in earlier?"

"Relax" 'Elsa' said, Serena looked almost exactly like Elsa, at least with her hair loose, though Diana and Anna both could tell that the young woman was not happy to dye her hair pretty much bone white. "It is only for tonight, Mark and Serenity are going to get... well me, they were sent by Mother" meaning Snowfeather. "Mother wouldnt tell me anything other then to dye my hair and come here. I hope I wont have to act too regal or anything" It was clear Serena wasnt used to being in command of anything more than a Assassin squad

Anna smiled, "I did too, Darrin you may leave" The servant nodded, he knew the reason for a double, most Royals had more than one, in this case, Elsa had three or so, Tiri, Serena, Serenity and if she wanted to, Snowfeather. Anna nodded then "From far away you look like Elsa well enough, but peiople will look close at you to try and determine the differences if they're able"

"Either way it is only for tonight, any longer and I'll freak out" Serena thankfully knew where the spare bedroom was thoughshe asked "I saw twice as many Assassin's on duty, whats the deal ?"

"Someone broke in, if it wasn't you, then it was someone else...we haven't found them yet." Diana answered, sighing. "That's all we know. Well, they snuck in, got no clue where they are. Come, eat, the more you act like Elsa the better." She nodded, nodding to Elsa's chair.

This was going to take some getting used to for sure but since it was for one night. 'Elsa' nodded, Serena took Elsas normal place at the table, it was rather comfy sure, but still she wasnt used to being royalty,. sure she had to do it, once in Egypt, fake being a Princess there when she was younger, but this was now, that was then. "No one different has been seen or heard in the castle ? What about outside ?"

"Havent checked yet, besides its a blizzard on, if anyone is out there they'd be cold stiff trying to sneak in here" Anna said, Kristoff nodded

"Speaking of which I need to check on Sven, last I knew Olaf was off chasing that weird thing again and Sven was chasing it too," He meant Slicer, which was with Mark and Serenity on their mission at that moment.

"I dont think that will be a problem" Serena mused

Anna was about to ask what she meant when a loud voice piped up right next to Diana pretty much screaming in her face "Hi I'm Olaf and I like warm hugs!" Then he recognised her "Oh! Hi Diana!" he hugged Marion, Diamond giggled in her mind though but Olaf felt something off about the young woman as his massive head was hugging directly against the diamond scale hidden by Marion's scarf "Ooooo all warm and tinglely, I like it, nice warm hug!"

Diana blinked as the snowman enveloped her in a hug, but played along as Diamond laughed in her head, hugging the enchanted snowman until he let go. "Olaf, have you seen Sven? If so, where is he? Kristoff is worried 'bout him." she asked with a smile.

It was a good minute before Olaf finally let Diana breathe and ask her question, "uh... Sven and I were chasing that little white thing with black feet when it got away and we couldnt find it so we chased butterflies and then he tried to eat my nose again and then he..." LICK "HEY GIMMIE BACK MY NOSE!" Sven snickered as Kristoff breathed a sigh of relief. OK, so, they knew now it wasnt either Olaf, or Sven that snuck inside, the fact that Sven was allowed into the castle in the first place...

"OK, so, if it wasnt any of us, or the Assassins, who would profit the most of what is in here ?" Serena, aacting as Elsa asked, smiling slightly when Olaf cutely ran after Sven before smacking into a chair and falling to pieces, then putting himself together wrongly and getting half way to the door before saying something of being out of shape before properly arranging his body and darting off, which sadly had his butt going for the window and the rest of him stuck on the chair

"Who indeed...?" Diana mused.

Lady peeked into he hall, seeing no guards whatsoever she darted for the stairs, keeping to the rafters she made it quickly to where she needed to be then snuck out through the guards barrack door and hid in a thick bush unseen as a pair of guards passed her hiding spot never looking her way. She could feel the power of the piece on her back. She had to get out of Arendelle with it, she had to save the child. But it was two weeks by ship to the Southern Isles. She spotted the gate, dead ahead. She could run pretty fast so... and with the snowfall she wasnt really see able unless in direct light, and it was dark

Lady waited a full minute, she heard the castle door creak open, but saw no new guards exit, It was her chance! Looking carefully both ways in the snowfall she darted from the bush she hid in and angled right for the gate. Dead between the two guards still arguing over defacing a innocent building. Then again the Brothel wasnt exactly an innocent location...

"I'm telling you man, I _don't_ want to fuck the **building** , just the girls inside!"

"Don't we all though?"

"Well, Bryan's gay, so does he count?"

"Do they cater to gay people?

"That's a good question."

It was the same two guards from before.

"You want to call and ask if they can hire some males for our gay comrades?"

"Do you?"

"You know I hate talking on the phone."

"So you want to go together and ask?"

"Wouldn't that be gay?"

"Isn't that homophobic?"

"What the fuck are you two on about?" Said another guard as he and another came up to replace those two for their shifts.

"Philosophical shit, you wouldn't understand."

"You're right. We're here to relieve you of duty for the ni-" and out goes Lady, with the head wind she was running into, and the looseness of the back end of her outfit, the men saw more than they bargained for. "ght...you guy's are going to the brothel, right?"

"Hell yea."

"Ask 'em to reserve her for me will ya?"

"Do they do that?"

"Let's go find out."

"Good idea."

"But let's get out of uniform first."

"Better idea. I'll meet you by the fountain outside the brothel."

And so the two bantering Guards moved on to the barracks to change into their civilian clothes, and headed over to the brothel to enjoy themselves.

The two that remained however, sighed. "You think those two are gay?"

"I think they don't know they are."

"Agreed." The rest of the nigth went on without a hitch.

A captain stepped into view with a squad about four minites later. "You two" he pointed out the first two in the squad, "and you two, guard this gate, anyone leaves or enters, detain them for questioning, Princess Anna's orders, anyone you find is brought in alive and unharmed" the four nodded and stood guard. Not knowing the whole reason for the doubling of the guard had just ran past them pretty much showing off her sheer muscled butt at them as she ran by

The Captain looked between the two guards, then saw shift change notices "Where are those sex brained idiots that were here just a minute ago ?" Little did anyone know that Lady was well on her way to a ship in the harbor, with her, the Shroud of Eden

"Off to the Brothel Sir. We relieved them from their shifts for the night." Came the reply.

"If you hurry, Sir, they're likely going to leave the barracks now in their civvies, or be by the fountain outside the brothel." said the other.

"Very well, we'll leave them be for now I'll deal with them later" Of course he meant getting his own girl, he had no wife after all. he turned to the squad "The rest of you follow me, we got a patrol to do in the Market District, You four stay here and watch the gate. Any one in or out, detain for questioning, preferably indoors." The squad headed off with the captain on their patrol.

 **Arendelle Port District**

 **A moment or so later**

 **Aboard the Silversparrow**

Lady slipped into her stateroom without getting noticed exdecept by the captain of the vessel, the man nodded to her but they werent about to cast off, not yet. In her stateroom, Lady activated the crystal, connecting her directly to Light _"I have it"_ She angeld the crystal for Light to see the oblong box on her back. _"I can feel its power through the white oak box it is within. I am aboard the Silversparrow now. When I get to Southern Isles, do I use this on the child right away, or find the first chance to do so unseen by others ?"_

The ship swiftly ghot underway as orders were given, more or less advice on how to use the Shroud and when, weithin minutes the Silversparrow was leaving the harbor and more than a few dozen meters from the dock before heading out of the harbor for the Southern Isles, Lady Hawkthorne's latest mission was just getting underway

 **Arendelle**

 **Unknown District**

 **At that same moment**

The Shadowling arrived in the hallway. Taztan had orders and he was following them to the letter, He was to spy on the one known as Chalice Elisar until something happened, well, something did happen, a woman arrived, a woman dressed unlike any he had ever seen before.

The other side of the door that Taztan stopped in front of was eerily quiet, even for Draco. The Dragon was sitting in his chair, faciing the window looking out over the landscape of his Kingdom. Once more he was admiring the way the sunset looked over the land; one of the few pleasures he found worth experiencing any more.

"Enter." His voice commanded to the Shadowling outside his door.

Taztan did as instructed, without a word he opened the door and stepped into the study, he stood before the desk after closing the door behind him, he knew the rules, his mission was simple. And it was time to tell it. When Draco requested the info of course. Taztan wasnt stupid, far from it. So he stood before the desk, quiet, calm, regal like a military commander would be waiting for his commander to ask him to say what was on his mind

"Speak." came the order after another long minute of silence. "What have you to share, Taztan? Good news I hope." It wasn't a question, but not a statement either. It was something akin to a demand or a plea, somewhere in the middle. Sickening cracks came from Draco's neck as he tilted his head to either side, not turning to face the Shadowling just yet.

"Hopefully Sir. This will brighten your evening. Shortly before Nymeth relieved me of duty a visitor arrived at the Elisar Brothel across the kingdom. I didnt dare go in or follow, but it made the Mistress there confused" Taztan then described what Lady was wearing, "Jade green clothing, rather revealing for a wintery location such as Arendelle in the middle of Feburary to be sure. long brownhair, strange hat. Walked with a purpose."

Of course it wasnt exactly good news until he then said "And our agents in the castle repoorted a breach, one of the guards were knocked out on the royals private floor. Never saw who did it, but he did see pale green eyes" That meant only one person. "Nothing is found to be amiss or missing as yet, but the castle is on high alert"

A hand came up to silence Taztan as he finished speaking, Draco was apparently done listening. Finally turning towards his Shadowling, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk as his glowing crimson eyes stared at the Shadowling. "Lady Hawkthorne has survived." he summerized, his eyes looking down in thought for a moment. "Masor has failed his mission from all those years ago... send him to the pits until I have use for him again." Draco said.

A smile cracked his lips back a little as he looked to Taztan. "You are to be congratulated for this news. You recieve exemption from the pits for your next failure, should you do so, and a promotion. Add another Star to your Collar." Draco then turned back around. "Now leave. I need to think."

Taztan went quiet as Draco raised a hand, dutifully standing still before the desk looking directly forwards. As much as the Shadowling wanted to smile at the mere thought of Masor landing in the Pits until Draco needed him he knew better than that. At Dracos words however of reward for the mission, a promotion, plus exemption should he fail the next mission made him slightly nervous but he quickly quelled it. He bowed tio Draco when he was allowed to leave, or rather ordered to take his leave, Saying only. "As you command, Master."

Taztan turned to leave as two sharp knocks came at the door, he stared at it, had Masor alreadyl earned his fate ? But no, at Dracos word, the wayward son came in, Taztan kept his place and turned to look back to his Master and Creator. almost confused, something told him to remain. Jr went to one knee before his fathers desk. "Father, A ship has left harbor, it carries a woman with pale eyes... it is headed for the Southern isles, it will be there in a week" Jr said simply. Almost forgetting protocol at least he went to one knee before the desk

A low, calculating growl rumbled from Draco's throat idly at this news, gentle and non-threatening. "Taztan. Follow that ship; your next mission is to observe that woman and everything she does for the next two weeks, both on the ship and off of it. I want to know everything. If you fail, you lose your new rank. Go forth."

He turned once more, looking to his son. "Very good, my Deserve a Personal Guard for that. After dinner I will take you to go find and corrupt your very own Kobold Guard." he said calmly. He then waved his hand, back of which was upwards. "Now shoo, your father needs to think. Lock the door on your way out."

Taztan nodded, less than a day to get aboard the vessel before it cleared the Harbor Gate. He boiwed again "As you command" He turned swiftly and quickly left the study, gently closing the door behind him, he had a new mission. He planned not to fail it either.

Jr simply blinked, What ? Was written all over his face, but he nodded then at his fathers words. It made sense, He saulted his father, "Yes Father, thank you." He said, he nodded then and stood as his father bid him to take his leave. moving to the door he made sure it was locked behind him. It made sense, Taris learned to make her own Shadowlings, they were weaker than his own magic, but they were strong too. So it made sense for him to get the Kobolds first. Jr smled and headed down the hall. Dinner was served in a few moments so he was hungry. But he was nervous too. To go with Papa on a kobold recruitment walk... that was a scary thought.

 **Arendelle**

 **Daodojo District**

 **At that same moment**

A pair of quiet feet alighted on the ground with a dull soft thump. A black haired woman with olive branches tangled in it dusted off her hands and walked into the house. "Well, that's that. Wish you told me you sent two of them to liberate the place. The cat refused to attack me for some reason but the mixbreed cornered me" Wezaki said

Kanwar smirked "I told the Tigris first, then the Boy. He did not want me in their library, leaving the journal there he would never find it"

Wezaki nodded, her hands behind her back she stepped to where Kanwar stood overlooking the district as renovations had cleared the neghboring broken apart homes away. "He suspected me to be sent by you. Though he spoke briefly in Hebrew then switched to a unknown dialect I could not understand. The cat spoke to him in the same dialect"

"He is learning, adapting. He has his journal now. That is what counts. Now, you have another mission Healer..." Kanwar said simply

 **Arendelle**

 **Marketplace District**

 **Assassin Den Garage**

 **A few moments later**

As the two siblings of Mark and Serenity went through what they had to use to get to their destination they came to a fast halt in the garage when they went for the bikes and transports, seeing a robed stranger. the man before them had his back to them both and the hood of his ice stained cloak was up and covering his head. "I had a feeling they'd try to interfere again. Regardless of my work to keep them at bay." He said simply.

As the two stepped closer to the man Serenity's hand went for one fo her swords, only to retract from the sheer cold of the hilt, what the hell ? "You have kept her safe have you not ? Only now to leave and go after her with others stole her away ?" He said simply

Serenity hissed something, her hand cold she balled her fist and growled at the cloaked stranger "Who are you ? How did you get in here ?" The man didnt reply, instead he turned towards them, his hands, old yet still strong went to his hood and slowly removed it, long silver hair framed an angular face. Serenity had no clue who the man was. But Mark, she could sense, had either stopped dead in his tracks or stopped breathing completely.

Serenity growled again, she knew about Matthew from her mothers stories, her mother even said he was dead and long gone, Matthew smiled, "I see the kitten has grown up..." He said

Serenity was upon Matthew in a heartbeat, claws slid from her wrists, long and bloody; at his throat. "Never... call me... a kitten... Got it ? Dead One ?"

Two birds sat on a fence not far away, one of them a brilliant white Dove, the other a truly massive Eagle of silver. "Whoa; never expected a Tigris to have so much... spirit" said the Dove

"That is the Tigris for you, especially the daughters of Snowfeather. I remember when Blackmane and Snowfeather were born of their mother" Fang mused, the silver Eagle watched through the snowfall through the window at Serenity's movements.

"Snowfeather and Blackmane as kittens were a sight to see truth be told. Shame their mother died in their birth" Wezaki said. "It was said that Snowmane was beautiful to behold and that her husband Lune couldnt bear to be without her. So he personally raised his daughters to adulthood, found them a home and profession here in the Mortal World" Wezaki had heard stories of Snowfeather and Blackmanes birth. "And now Snowfeather continues the family tree, twin daughters... who look similar to the Queen here"

"It is s not what they are arguing about ?"

"It isnt ?"

"No,... this is something more personal. Look at his face... look close"

"His eyes... he is focused on a job at hand"

"Protecting the queen is his mission, he told me so himself when we went to Father's vault under the Dojos"

"He has his journal, Kanwar had me give it to him after those two liberated that district"

"What happened to her face ?" Fang then asked out of the blue, to which Wezaki couldnt answer, she too had seen the mess of scars upon Serenity's fair face. Blackfire it was called that burned it so badly.

"If you don't calm down, he will be dead, and we'll have lost an ally..." Mark growled, surprisingly hostile to his sister, clawed gauntlet tightly gripping her shoulder as his eyes glowed. His face was stern, sterner than perhaps she'd ever seen him before. His eyes turned to Matthew.

"I've done as directed, but you of all people should know that there is no way for me to protect her at iall/i times." Mark said to him, the sterness in his voice growing. "Why have you returned, Matthew?"

"Because the last ship to arrive here, took something with it from America." Matthew said as Serenity lowered her claws from his neck. She wasnt happy at being called a kitten, he knew that, her brother rarely called her that unless they were joking around anyway. "I was tasked to follow it here. And I meet you. You had help. And still do. Even though Elsa did not want the Brothel reopened, we did so. And that has not helped ?" Mattherw had no idea that Tiri Elisar, aka Chalice Elisar, was infact Elsas twin basically at the time

" _You know this guy ?_ " Serenity asked her brother, clearly confused, she didnt like the look of Matthew, he looked liek a traveler, a theif of a sort, always on the move by the way he was dressed, a wanderer. And yet her brother knew him ? That did not make sense

Mark nodded to Serenity, and reached up to lower his own hood so Matthew could get a better look at his face, perhaps remember more clearly who he was. "The Brothel has helped immensely with gathering information for our cause, the couches are quite comfortable I'm told." he said. He cleared his throat. "What were you following on that ship? What was on it?" he asked.

"A Piece of Eden, the DC branch of the Brotherhood got wind of another Apple leaving New York Harbor heading for Norway, I followed the ship here, but lost it in the fjords south of the kingdom. Its possible the same ship is transporting it to someone else. I figured to stop here and see how things were before going after it past Oslo." Matthew then smiled as Serenity just grunted something, he never understood her words directed to her brother.

Matthew watched as she got two Hoverbikes readied "And you two are on a contract I assume ? If I may ask, where ?" Serenity cast a dark look towards the old man, who was isupposed/i to be dead. After all, Snowfeather had seen him get shot in the face the last time he was there

Mark nodded, a piece of Eden, eh? He thought for a moment. Ulnaus could be used to find the ship again, the bird was certainly strong enough to carry Matthew on his back and fly fast enough to catch the ship. "Well, when you're done having a look around, I wish you luck in locating the ship...in fact, I will offer my Assistance." He looked up and let out an eagle's screech, dead on and perfect.

After a few seconds, Ulnaus screeched back, circling three times before landing on the building direcly behind Mark, staring down at Matthew. "Ulnaus is strong enough to carry you; he can help track the ship for you, just don't freeze his feathers." he said. Looking back to the hoverbikes, he smiled, and nodded.

"We're going to go get Elsa back. Might as well do it in style, no?" he asked.

The two birds watched through the blizzard, but it was the dove that spotted the Eagle out of nowhere "here comes a headache" Wezaki said spotting Ulnaus circling

"I think we overstayed our welcome, lets go, Kanwar's cooking" the two took off

"Elsa is not in the castle ?" Matthew asked, that was absurd, "I passed her on my way here," Surely he saw the really well dressed double, Serenity hid a smirk as she went back to the hoverbikes, activating one so she could move it to get to the other darker one with the basket directly on the front so she could take Slicer along, speaking of which the little RC car darted into the garage with a soft plonk onto the hardpacked floor at her feet.

Serenity bent down and picked up the little truck, compared to most RC trucks, she basically made the thing, and let it learn on its own, Slicer at that point didnt even have its controller anymore, it was all on command, and more. Self aware little rig, she liked it. Its front wheels wiggled as she set it in the basket and then checked over the cameras carefully

"Going to be gone long ?" Matthew asked, a smile on his face seeing Ulnaus out of nowhere. Of course when Ulnaus came in for landing two other birds flew away, one of them a massive silver eagle, the other a smaller plain white dove. The last thing Princess Fang wanted to do was get into a tussel with Ulnaus again "i'd hate to keep our feathered friend too busy to be of aid to you"

Mark shook his head. "No, the CIA took her again. They're persistant ass-hats, I'm going to fix that." he said with a calm, quiet tone, watching the other two birds fly off as Ulnaus landed. He narrowed his eyes, and made a mental note to keep an eye out for them.

At the question of how long he was to be gone, Mark thought for a few seconds before shaking his head. "Not too long. The bikes there are wicked fast; less than ten hours there, then I believe we have a van for a easy drive back. Shouldn't be gone longer than two days at the most. After that...I believe we are to be presumed dead." he shrugged, saying such things so nonchalantly. Wasn't his first mission that to some could be considered suicide, but he was prepared to give his life for Elsa if need be. but they'd have to get through his armor first.

Ulnaus landed beside Mark, chirping a few times. Mark gestured broadly and superfluously to the bird, looking at Matthew. "Your bird awaits. Good luck, old man. I hope to see you soon."

Matthew nodded, a suicide mission, the CIA were indeed insistent if not stupid. "Good luck, knowing the CIA after what Georgina and Snowfeather told us before when they destroyed the Oslo building... Could have better defenses at their new place." he was partyl right, though thanks to a certain Dragoness and her people, those defenses were... minimal if that

Serenity smirked as she swung one leg over the saddle of the hoverbike easing the thing out of the garage ahead of Mark as she waited. "Ten hours to get there, maybe less with these bikes; maybe two hours while there, find a van, basic mission. Once we get Elsa back we wont have room for the bigs, I'll have to find something big to carry them back with us when there" Thankfully she'd come up with something... maybe

Matthew held open the gate leading to the road. "Safe journey. Give them hell." He said. Serenity rolled on a coushin of hair a half meter off the ground. Hoverbikes were fast because of no ground friction. But it wasnt for the novice, too dang fast. And once on the road, the only thing they have seeable is the front headlight, and the brake lights. Hoverbikes could turn on a dime. And when packed down it was also pretty easy for them as well to carry in a cargo van of some kind

Mark nodded, and grabbed his helmet and gloves, his amor vanishing leaving him with just his thick jacket. Sliding on the helmet and then the leather gloves, he took a seat on his bike and started it up, the cushion of air forming beneath him. He leaned to each direction to get a feel for the bike first, as it'd been a while since he was on one, and then nodded, his helmets visor going opaque. He Revved the engine twice gave Matthew a quick Salute, and jammed the gas, darting off past the gate in a flash, Serenity right behind.


	40. Seqeunce 9 Memory 6

**_Jellicle's Creed_**

 ** _Frozen Memories_**

 ** _Seqeunce 9_**

 ** _Memory 6: Snowflake within a Snowflake part 6_**

 **20 Feburary 2052**

 **Gilja Norway**

 **Midday**

 _"There is no crime to terrible, nor act so monstrous that Man will not commit given a sufficiency of conviction and self interest"_

 **-Ancient proverb**

The Silence of the two bikes as they zoomed down the highway was what set them apart. The black motorcycles hovered inches off the ground, the two riders leaned forward for aerodynamics and speed as the roads provided no resistance, and no compromise. Their helmets matched the bikes, protecting their heads and faces from the elements, not so much from crashing - the two were experts. His assassin cloak was also assisted by a pair of thick leather gloves to keep his hands warm during the ride, the blistering winds enough to freeze almost anything.

Speeding at just over three hundered miles an hour was refreshing to Mark as he weaved around cars and other debris in the road, or simply went over them with elegance and grace. Any faster and he would have to rely on eagle vision to see clearly despite the hud on his helmet's opaque viser. Motion sensors placed his sister just behind him, and the two of them swerved onto an unmarked dirt road. Mark nudged just off of it, travelling off-road to avoid being seen as he darted between trees and clearings without breaking half a sweat.

The Compound was up ahead.

On the second hoverbike was Serenity, Marks sister had with her a basket of hardlight matrial attached to her big, it contained one or two vital items for the mission. One of them was her swords, hopefully she wasnt going to need them, but the other was a more vital item. Slicer. her Slash so heavily modified only she could use it.

They puklled to a thick cpose of trees and parked. Serenity easily parked her hoverbike and simply turned in her seat to get to the hardlight basket containing Slicer and setting it on the ground she activated the code to get into the wireless network. "I'll find the armory, Should be the most guarded place on the main floor" She said simply, Slicer shot off, her left eye seeing what the little RC rig was seeing clearly.

 _Crack... sizzle... crack... thud_

Four days, for long days of nothing but that noise, and the occasional slamming of a door was all she heard for four long days. Thankfully they were decent enough to let women take care of her. After all somehow she'd gotten wet, and as a result somehoew she saw herself not wearing her dress. At least she was decent. She couldnt move where she laid in bed either. her hands were tied to something. She didnt recognise anything there, where was she ? Then she heard it, she heard footsteps, something thudding... Ok what was going on ?

Most of the compound was underground, Slicer screamed through the rooms without a sound and without being seen before darting into a room filled with ewpons and coming to a soft halt under a table near a vent in the ceiling, the guard on duty poked his head in thinknig he heard something before shaking his head to leave, the cameras on it picking up everything from number of guards to any traps there might be. There were surprisingly few traps for a secret underground compound. Perhaps since there were iso many/i guards, not all of them knew how to avoid them or had proper clearance. Finally after about two moments of viewing the building carefully Serenity spoke "Found the armory, Slicers waiting, best get inside" She pointed out a nearby vent network

Mark's entrance was easy enough. The Airvents were large to prevent any large parts of them from freezing in the cold air of Norway, and of course hot air was blowing through them constantly. He navigated them easilly enough as well, finding himself in their armory inside of an hour. His claws plucked the screws out of their holes by force, and he moved the grate before dropping down into the room without a sound besides him landing on one of the guards, whose muffled cry was silenced by the crack of his neck breaking from Mark's weight. He summoned the rest of his armor and drew his pistol, quickly sweeping the room before holstering his gun and moving over to the far wall.

He needed a rifle. And there was a recently cleaned M-4 Semi-Auto rifle right there, and of course, plenty of add-ons around it. Red dot scope with two times zoom, dual thirty round mags, shock absorbing stock and butt for recoil dampening, and best of all, a Grenade launcher for under the barrel. Mark smirked, and assembled it quickly, loaded it, and crammed some extra ammo in his coat before moving to the table where Slicer lay waiting. He picked the thing up, and stuffed it in a bag at his hip before transport arrying himself back into the vent, annd closing the grate.

From there, it was a quick slide down the shaft towards the underground tunnels, where he would once again exit, and then find a place to crouch into cover. Reaching into the pack at his hip, he withdrew Slicer, and placed it down on the ground, tapping the cameras to get his sister's attention.

"You there? I'm in. Begin the scouting out. The less I'm seen the better, we want Elsa to be where she's supposed to, after all." he said to his sister over the comms.

"The place is packed with people" Serenity said softly, Slicer bounced twice, she saw her brother clearly through the front camera. Swiftly resetting the infared vision to thermal and also inverted contrastto make out everything much clearler Serenity, still at the hoverbikes began moving "Connection is starting to falter out here, I'm coming in. I'll find a place to hide inside, Slicer will scout for traps..." A moment passed, "First door on the left is a closet, heat vent going down looks like a waste chamber"

Serenity went quiet for a moment, apparently reading something before a door was heard opening, a voice being silenced so quickly Mark was sure he didnt want to knoew exdactly what his sister had done. Though she did mumbled something in their favorite dialect "peeping toms..." the rest of her mumble was lost is feline growling. Another body was heard dropping, only this time the guy apparently simply fainted dead away at seeing a Tiger walking down a halway to the womens bathroom on the main floor

"This place is packed with people, most of them guards... must be green behind the ears too. two guys just fianted"

Mark rolled his eyes and sighed. He decided not to berate his sister and her feline tendancies for once and focused on the mission at hand "Got it, just guide me through."

With that, he holstered the rifle and got moving, staying crouched as he moved. He let Slicer and his sister guide him partially, but otherwise, was winging it with where to stop and where to hide. He opened doors slowly, a throwing knife at the ready to silently take out anyone who could see him and set off any sort of alarm. He hid the bodies in spots where people both look, but never think about, thus hiding them perfectly out of sight. His breathing was deliberately slow and quiet, so that nothing would be heard. The boots he was wearing were specialized for this mission, they weren't the Duradaedin-toed boots he normally wore, but were shock and sound dampening ones designed to lessen any of the few noises he ever made to increase his stealth capabilities.

He entered a common room area, filled with guards, and lowered to a crawl as there were tables everywhere fitted with table cloths he could use to hide under if needed. This was the slowest room, as he had to practically inch-worm his way under the connected tables, open the door on the other side, and then exit without a single out of place noise. It was as he was opening the door however, throwing knife drawn, that someone noticed him.

"Huh? What the..." Mark darted around the corner and stood, waiting as he pressed himself flush against the wall. The guard followed gun at the ready. He opened the door and poked his rifle through first, slowly following. It was then that Mark grabbed the rifle and pulled him through, the door closing behind him before slamming the rifle back into his jaw and knocking him out. Unloading the gun and dropping it on the man's lap, the Assassin continued.

"You got a map, sis? or a room with one? Could really use one." he whispered as he was currently in a closet, waiting for a patrol to pass.

Room with a map, and she had to find the main power control room too after stopping in the bathroom. She sat on a thankfully knocked out guard, using him as part of the chair as the massive Bengal kinda broke the thing. "Did you just take that guard into a closet ?" Thank goodness she saw it on the camera screen and not the human she sat on "No matter,... oh... Main powerboard... Whats this do... oops; well, so much for that energy trap right outside the door you're hoping to exit from..."

Wait what ?

A patrol of soldiers went by again looking for and calling for their comfrade in arms. "Lewts see its a little late for christmas poems so I'll make one up. Twas the night of the superbowl and all through the house... not a creature was stirring execept for four guys in bad looking pajamas carrying fully loaded party favors ready to fire at a moments notice... unless the lights went out..." And the lights in the hall promptly burnt out. "Whoops, clumsy me! You might be right about being a tiger sometimes, big paws make typing harder"

"Alrighty... There was an energy sensor trap at your feet, pressure plates. They're off now, the troops cant see... oh wait hangon... I hope you got your rebreather... Its gonna get a bit gassy on that floor." Serenity gave her brother a minute to put the facemask on before hitting the fire suppresion system. Of course she localised it only to that section. "You're clear, exit the closet and go left, stay low, I see everything from here, but its dark... Oh... oh no..."

Mark put his rebreather on and rolled his eyes, mildly amused by his sister's antics before he exited the closit and crouched low, hugging the wall. "Oh no? What the hell does that mean?" he growled into the comms as he rounded a corner, knife drawn as usual.

"Exactly what it says on the tin dear brother... Holy alqaraf" Serenity swore in Arabic then. "We have a minor problem, I forgot to lock out others; I got a little pest problem to deal with up here. Look for silver wires... or a silver floor... with a lot of water... stay off it" She said before the line went dead

Mark growled and sighed, and went on the look out for what she'd told him to look out for. Water, Silver...both great conductors of electricty, so the next trap was obvious. Upon finding such a floor, and noticing the thin sheen of water on it he stopped and leaned against the wall. He could wall-run across this easilly. He backed up and stood. Using his Eagle Vision to quickly make sure the wall wasn't spiked either, he ran and then jumped at the wall, running across it and landing on the other side of the trap with ease and with silence. He kept moving then, sighing to himself as he waited for his sister to join him back on the comms.

It took five aganozingly long minutes before Serenity's voice came back into her brothers ears "Sorry about that... " She said simply, she started typing on the keyboards before her. "Elevator shaft under maintenace; door should be open... now" The nearby elevator door opened without a sound, all mark could see was the elevator cables going up into the air.

"On my screens you're gonna have to drop a level, Slicer is in the vents one level down. You go any further on this level and you'll run into the main Survailalance offices and main missions rooms. Go up one level, you'll by pass it to then ext elevator, dont worry, the vent system connects to the elevator shafts"

Some more typing was heard before she spoke, "Be careful, they got Mousetraps on that level too. I can redirect them around but only so far. They have lights and they move, good luck" Suddenly Mark heard a loud WHACK of something getting hit followed by his sisters humor filled condencending voice "Did I say you could wake up ?! Go back to bed!"

Grunting, Mark entered another airvent and went up a floor and then turned to get into the elevator shaft. After kicking out the vent grate, he looked up and down, making sure the elevator was either where he needed it to be, or was coming. It was coming up, so he dropped down onto the top of it. "You wouldn't happen to know which floor number I need to go on do you?" He asked before popping open the top of the elevator and dropping in, quickly dispatching the five guards inside with clean slices to their throats before pressing the stop button, the elevator doing as told.

Once Serenity told him the floor number, he pressed it and crossed his arm as he hummed along to the elevator's music, a catchy tune that'd likely be in his head for a while. The door opened and he exited, luckily the blood from the guards not on his boots yet as he did so; didn't want to leave a trail behind.

He moved on, crouching to look around corners and moving while standing for the sake of time now. "Where to?" he asked quietly as he came upon a split in the halls.

"To the left, all the way down... oh and wave I see you. Slicer is to your right and directly below you by two levels." Serenity said simply as she watched Mark.

It was a moment later though when Serenity started trashing the security room. First she uploaded an old favorite dead end virus, then completely cut each wire on every possibe screen both at the wall and base of the screen. "All the way to the end of the hall to the left, there's an elevator on the right, two floors below your current one. We might have to do the rest of this together..."

Some shouting was heard then, followed by a sudden very male shriek as Serentiy growled over the comms. Well.. Serenity was having some fun. Finally she came back no the radio "Hey its me, I'll get the elevator and pick you up... My post here is... kinda wrecked." At least her brother waved

He did as told, and as the elevator arrived, he stepped backwards into it. "Took you long enough. Those damn mouse traps found me after you left, had to fight them off." he dropped a magazine from his Desert Eagle and took a look, a few bullets were left. He bit the inside of his cheek. If they didn't know he was here, they did now. That gun was loud.

The elevator dropped and he put the magazine back into the gun and cocked it, readying it. "Lead the way." he said to his sister.

But so was his sister. Serenity when the elevator door opened, was licking her right hand where her knuckles had been scraped raw. Even without the burns from the day before she was pretty as a human, but she was downright freaky with the burns when half cat. But she smirked, two dead men were with them in the elevator. At the unasked question she smirked "nah, never met them before, they tried to get frisky." One held her sword in his stomach

The purple and silver tech heavy sword hummed slightly as the bossed embelm feating their family crest upon it three ragged clawmarks, undewich went the typical Assassin's mark in gold and white edged in red.. Serenity wrenched the weapon from the dead mans stomach and sheathed it on her back. Picking up with it a pistol, the outdated USP tactical was tiny in her mostly furred hand at that point.

As the elevator door opened they peeked carefully before stepping out into the hallway "OK, from what I remember there's silver water trap three paces directly down center. With silver wire traps on both walls." She held up a hand with a finger pointing up "But I also remebmer the vent is right there. She pointed at the vent, Slicer was seen no the other side, seemingly waiting for them.

Serenity motioned for the bag from her brother. Slicer had been blown up by IEDs from Templars, but somehow it didnt brake, sure the body, plastic flimsy as all hell, needed replacement, as did one or two cameras, but toherwise the frame was solid. She opened the vent and picked up Slicer by the front bumper, easily sliding it into the bag, then attaching that to her right hip. "Ready ? This vent leads directly paraelle to this hallway, according to the map its liek a second hallway, but for air, and... waste management..."

Hopefully they didnt have trashcompactors here like they did in Egypt and Jordan...

Mark grunted. "Great. Just what we need, some shit-smelling air." He was thankful he still had his mask on from before, the thing filtering the air around him and giving him pure air that didn't smell.

Serenity entered the vent first since she remembered the map. Once inside Mark closed the vent opening behind them so none could see them coming or had been there aside from the two dead in the elevator.

After going around a turn and paraelle to the hall, they heard voices and saw a light ahead. two male voices "We've had that woman four days now, no answer, nothing. Why'd boss make us leave anyway ?"

"Cause he wanted the ladies in there with her. You remember. The cold the boss said the cold dont bother her none, but she could still get sick from all the questioning we did the last four days. the boss even left when the ladies came in. From what I hear ladies dont mind other ladies bodies."

"True, What about the gunshots upstairs ?"

"Most likely target practise in the practise rooms"

"Do we even issue guns that sound that heavy?"

"Hell if I know."

The vent eased open without a sound and Serenity eased through noiselessly. The two men were sitting on the low sofa, their backs to the vent, both men were on break it looked like, one drank from a coffee mug.

"Yeah well, the woman, pretty as she is, the boss says no games, no fun around her. He just wants info, important info."

"You ever wonder what the boss seeks ? Why this woman directly ?"

"Dont ask dont get shot, thats my motto"

"The boss is trigger happy ? Never took him for it"

Neither man saw a hand in dark leather and silver scales gently reach the deck behind the sofa the two sat upon. two clearance cards were on there, theyd use them easy enough. Once Serentiy had them she stayed low and just as quietly edged her way back to the vent. Silently closing it behind her as if she had never been in the room. A moment or so later and the two agents were left behind as they moved on. Serentiy used ione of her wristphone bracelets to make a light so she could read off the names "Aaron Wadrat, and Cilia Krae; Norse names are weird"

The two came upon a vent in a foyer of a sort. The key access cards were needed to get through the only door. Thankfully once they barred the outer door after peeking into the hall to make sure the coast was clear, they set to work breaking the lock.

It was keycard, then a code... a four digit code...

Mark noticed the code and narrowed his eyes. "Don't touch anything." he said before wandering off for a few minutes. He arrived back at the room those two men were and emerged from the vent. He'd do some questioning himself. Drawing his Desert Eagle and his sword, he approached the two and held his gun to the head of one of them, and his sword to the throat of the other.

"Master Code. Now. You get to live."

The two men blinked and the one drinking coffee managed to swallow the mouthful of liquid before beginning to shake. "Look man, we're just lackies."

Mark's grip tightened on the gun, the click of the safety disengaging rang out. "This gun will paint that wall with your brains. Speak." Mark growled.

"Look, we dunno man. Boss man says it's a family secret."

"Family?"

"Y-yea. Um...shit what was it."

"Three..."

"Three? what the-"

"Two..." The strain of his finger on the trigger tightenened.

"Wolfe! That's the guy's name."

Mark paused, and then relaxed his trigger finger.. "Very good." with that he pulled back his gun, and then punched with his sword hand. The hilt slammed into the closest guy while the blade decapitated the other, and then with a flick of the wrist the other guy's head dropped as well.

He returned to his sister and quickly punched in the four digits. 2681, the machine paused, and beeped twice before turning green, and opening. "My father used it when I was a boy." he explained. "That means he's alive; and that the bastard is somewhere nearby..." Mark growled. He looked to his left Gauntlet, it was his father's before him. Now it was his. He sighed and grit his teeth. "Let's go."

When the light went green Serenity held up a hand, she heard footsteps in the hall, Going to the door she listened carefully, her ears growing tiger fur as she shiftetd slightly to be able to hear clearer. "Half dozen men, rushing somewhere... We're clear" She noted the tone in her brothers voice. Holding up a hand she said simply "Whoever is on the other side of that door, we need to keep a level head, got it ?'

Of course the first guy on the other side of the door was a lackey. Who was promptly knocked out by Serenity's fingers to the base of the skull from behind as the room was well lit. And the floor had a good two inches of water. But thankfully nothing of silver. be it flooring, or wires. Serenity grabbed the gun before it hit the water, ejecting the magazine and tossing both eptied weapon and magazine in two different directions. a door way without a door lead to a larger room

And that room had someone inside it, well, two someones actually, the second one being hidden in a darkened corner.

Serenity's eyes went wide with alarm, a startled growl in her feline throat seeing the soaked table, and who laid on it...

It was Elsa. Oh not good.

Mark rushed in and quickly went to the far side of the bed, behind Elsa. "My Queen, it's me." he said, she'd know who he was by how he addressed her. His finger tips quickly went to her throat gently to check her pulse, and he poked around her body to make sure her nerves were working, at each twitch he moved on before moving to the restraints her hands and feet were tied to.

Sleep clouded eyes fluttered.. "Mark ? What's going on ?" Slurred Elsa as Mark started undoing the restraints that held her to the rolling hospital bed as Serenity went searching through various hampers and drawers for a blanket or even a simple cloak for Elsa to cover herself with. The fact she was naked, well mostly, apparently someone had the decensy to keep her icey under dress still on. Though it was mostly sheer to begin with; still on her body. She was slowly waking up. But as Mark halted in releasing her restraints she asked "What is it ?"

Mark had stopped because he was staring at apparently himself, but older, Marcus Wolfe stood there at the foot of the bed "You!" Mark hissed recognsing the man first as the CIA agent that had kidnapped Elsa

Marcus merely smiled thinly, "I see it fits you, it suits you like that armor" He said, meaning the gauntlet

Mark growled deep in his throat as Marcus merely blinked at him with a soft smile as he said "Hello... Son"

Mark's eyes began to glow dimly at those words. "Father. I knew I'd find you here eventually." despite the negative emotions, there was still an modicum of respect in Mark's voice. "I figured that once I got the Gauntlet you were either dead or had dishonored the Clan. When your lackies told me how to get the pass code, I knew it was the latter." he reached up and slowly drew his sword from its sheath on his back and pointed it at his father.

"What did you do." it wasn't a question, but a demand. Since he held the Gauntlet, Mark was leader of the clan, as leader of the clan, his authority overruled his father's.

Marcus kept his face in a thin smile, while his eyes showed fatherly love, his tone was even. "There comes a time when a man has to make a choice. And then after that choice, live with it for the rest of his life." He turned from maark and looked towards a holographic map on the wall. "Three years after you left Arendelle, three years after I saw you on that ship... I lost her" On the map was London, dating back to three years after he'd left Arendelle all those years before.

The last known location of Charity Wolfe.

"For three years, like colckwork, once every seven days, I would receive a letter, from your mother, or your sister. Sometimes both. But after three years... I received a letter, not from your mtoher, or your sister... but by the London Police Department. There had been a gunman at a school... they were caught in the gunfire. According to thle etter your mother died... a double tap to the prabellum..."

Serenity finally finding a blanket to wrap Elsa in stepped into Marcus field of view. he didnt recognise the young woman. "Marion. was found the same night, they ruled it a sucide, poison." He faltered then. He reached into his pocket and removed an envelope. He held it out to Mark. "This was the last letter your mtoher sent to me. with it is the last letter your sister sent to me"

Little did either of them know it, but it was staged with help from the Brotherhood.

Mark's face softened a tad when he heard the story, and he quickly snatched the letter and read it, his eyes looking puzzled and lost as he read it, before dropping it and sighing. His eyes twitched, and the anger returned. "Did you go to their funerals? Did you see their bodies? Or did you stay and lose your title by abandoning your flesh and blood?" He growled. A tear streaked down his cheek, not from pain or sorrow, but from rage. But with all the emotions in the room, Marcus would likely be unable to tell.

Finally Mark huffed, feral and loud before gripping his sword. "What does any of this shit have to do with Elsa?" He growled.

"That is the choice I had to make." Marcus said finally turning to his son, his tone hard and stern. "I wanted to go to their funerals, to see their bodies, By the time I got the notice they had passed on. They were buried, I had failed them, when I got the notice it was too late. dont you get it, Boy! By time the letter from the police got to me in Korea, they were already buried, ?! I lost two of the family I had left! I lost my brother the day we had to seperate you and your sister!" he was nearly shouting by then.

When Marks hand went to his sword Serenity set a gentle hand on her brothers shoulder. Her eyes said what she was thinking, iPlease dont do anything rash/i Marcus continued, after taking a deep breath and letting it out. Finally he said simply. "On the other side of town there is a house. My home. I could not return to Arendelle after we seperated you and your sister. So I moved here... I... After your mothers death... I... met someone..."

Ok, that wasnt good, now Serenity was growling. Elsa though laid still on the table, now thankfully drapped in a warm blanket. Finally marcus spoke again. His tone softer as he stepped over to a nearby weapons rack. A glittery green bladed sword was on it. "I wanted you. Son... To see you... After all these years..."

He stood before the strange green glittery sword, "The last of the Wolfe Caln, the last protector of Arendelle. When I lost the Gauntlet... I lost I had failed. I knew in my heart I had failed not only Arendelle, but you. Your sister, your Mother..."

He smirked as he heard the growls from Serenity, a cornered cat. Typical. "is the kitten going to pounce ?" Serenity made a move to grab her own swords off her back but Marks words stopped her in her tracks.

"Take Elsa and leave." Mark's words growled forth from his throat. "Leave my father to me." he stepped around the bed and lowered slowly into a stance. Mark's eyes and armor glowed in response to seeing that sword in front of his father. He spoke again. "I see you took at least something with you from home. I've been scouring the manor for that sword. I'm leaving with it."

Serenity nodded, "Mm' She simply hummed in agreement before moving to the bed to get Elsa free. Her hands briefly shifted to a feline like size so she could use her claws and began cutrting the restraints as Marcus simply smirked

"So this is how our clan ends ?" He mused aloud, "Or maybe it is not an ending. But a beginning ?" He saw there was something between mark and Elsa, a connection there. a strong one.

Without warning the Sword of Eden was in Marcus' hand and he was diving for Mark, aiming not to kill, but to injure, or disarm. The Sword of Eden was light, and against duradaeden, it was infact quite durable. Sparks exploded where their swords met. It was those selfsame sparks that Elsa saw as she left the room with Serenity all but carrierng her towards a bathroom.

Once Elsa was out of the room Mark pushed back against his father and countered with his own strike, training kicking in and aiming to kill immediately. "This is where _your_ clan ends, Father. Mine will flourish and defend Arendelle for generations more." he retorted before launching forth a flurry of attacks with his sword and claws. Luckilly his gauntlets had duradaeden pads on the palms, for when Marcus blocked those swipes he did so with the Sword of Eden.

Marcus through use of the sword and hard years on his own to train with the weapon when he could, kept his feet well. Blocking, parrying, and keeping his son at bay. But even then for only so long. Father and son, facing off.

Finally their weapons locked, Marcus, for all his years of training as the leader of the Wolfe Clan, then all his years alone. Never smiled as their weapons were crossed between them. For a long moment they simply stood their, their strength fighting the other to try and push the other back even one step

Finally the lock broke and turning his sons sword wide he easily kicked up a foot, also knocking wide the claws before speaking and catching his sons sword again "Can you live life with that choice, Son ? The choice to kill the only family you have left ?" Another block, a strike. But Marcus wasnt aiming to kill, no, he was simply aiming to disarm, The Sword of Eden smacked into Marks shoulder armor of his sword arm solidly, a sharp CRACk of Eden Technology rattled the walls and blew out a few lights in the ceiling

Mark grunted as the sword cracked into his shoulder armor, the lights fizzling out as they were blown out by the sound of Eden Tech. Mark spun into a defensive stance and his eyes glowed from his Eagle Vision. He could still see perfectly. "If that is my choice, then I will do it." he replied. He bent his knees and his boots shifted to his Duradaeden toed ones, the thick leather tight around his ankles and lower legs before he moved forward again, flinging his arm out, a rope dart launching from one of the few gaps in the armor, the dagger heading straight for his father's throat while a counter strike with his sword came to slash across his chest.

Mark used the rope dart to keep his father off balance, spinning and flinging it around with deadly expertise and precisicion, similar to how one would use a Kasurigama, that pain in the ass of a weapon that Blackmane forced Mark to study for a few months in Cairo just to get him out of her har, or fur, depending on her mood.

"I see they taught you to cultivate it" Marcus said, he too could use eagle vision pretty well. But it wasnt as good as his son. He smacked aside the sword as he easily dodged the thrown dart "But are you sure you can live with that choice ? To kill your own flesh and blood ?" Marcus poked out his blade, it spiraled the ropedart onto it he caught the tip in his hand and pulled, the blade of the sword however it turned so the flat of the blade cracked agianst Marks armor blowing out more lights and setting the bed which once held Elsa, on fire

"I've learned a few tricks here and there." he said as the blade once more slammed into his armor. His eyes didn't even dart to it to check if it was fine; he knew it was. Severing the rope and ducking inside his father's Guard, his left hand, the prised gauntlet of the Wolfe Clan for generations, lurched forward, hidden blade sliding out of the wrist towards his throat before Marcus grabbed it with his free hand, stopping his arm in its tracks an inch away from his jugular.

"I'll manage." Mark growled before grunting and shoving his father back again, ducking his head to avoid the inevitable swing of the sword of Eden. He followed then, darting back and forth to disorient Marcus before slamming his sword downwards in a hard slash that would cut any normal man in half, and shatter even the strongest of human-made swords.

His sons hidden blade so close to his neck, his eyes never left his sons. "Are you sure ? Deep in your heart" the Sword of Eden came down, but Mark had danced away and brought his own sword to bear after a few fients. Briging up the Sword of Eden Marcus was driven to one knee, the floor cracked under them, the cement sending bits of rock into the air where it cracked apart before Marcus pushed upwards with all his strength and lifted his son off the floor and whacked hard with the Sword of Eden

Of course he missed Mark completely and cut the bed that once held Elsa into a dozen pieces with sheer energy from the sword alone. Finally seperated Marcus held the sword towards his son. "You do not even have a wife." In a heartbeat Mark was on him and their blades locked solid, Dragon forged Duradaeden repaired and remade by the legendary Yaeko Wolfe herself, against the sword of their Ancestor Second Wolfe, their founder sparked madly at the sudden locking.

For frantic moments it was their freehand in a martial free for all, blocking and striking in various stances before breaking apart, Marcus brought his sword into a defensive stance. But his free hand was also in a different stance. Eagle, Marcus smirked "Or maybe you did... that lady on the bed you had the cat take away..."

Mark was silent, but his silence only answered Marcus' question. "You do fancy her. A fine woman, son. Be sure to treat her better than I had to." this sent Mark into a frenzy of strikes and slashes that Eagle Vision would likely have a hard time tracking. Marcus was able to keep up for a majority of the frenzy before the ache in his fatigued muscles, no longer used to such vigorous combat, weakened his grip just enough for Mark to smack the sword out of his hand, sweep the leg, and corner his Father with the point of his sword to his throat. The Sword of Eden landed in Mark's free hand, and he held it loosely and relaxed as his eyes blazed bronze.

Mark's ear twitched as his sister sent out the all-clear signal, that she'd made it outside with Elsa. Mark blinked slowly, and lowered his blade. "Word of advise, Father. Leave the CIA, the beurocratic bullshit is too much." he said before opting to render him incapacitated with a swift side kick to the gut, leaving him gasping for breath. Mark sheathed his own sword, forged by Yaeko, and switched the Sword of Eden to his right hand before going to the wall. Luckilly, the sheath was there, too. Slinging it across his shoulder so the blade was at his left hip, he sheathed it and booked it for the surface.

By the time Mark had gotten to their meeting point Serenity had procured for them a van, a modern rig, not a hovervan like she was used to, but it did the job. Plus it was large enough to hold their hoverbikes. Ontop of that it had Slicers basket space too. So when Mark exited the CIA building, Serentiy pulled into view, the side door slid open "Company's coming get in!" Serenity called.

Oh great, SHE was driving, Serenity plus a car meant bad news; or fun times, but then again this was most likely Elsas third time in a car of any kind too. Soon as Mark was in and the door was shut Serenity shot the van out of the parking lot before the gates cloud close. Looking to her brother she saw him tired, but otherwise in good shape "What happened back there ? Half way to the elevator the power went out in the place, had to navigate by Eagle Vision"

Mark raised the hilt of the Sword of Eden in response to her question. "This hit my armor. I'm fine, but the power for this part of Norway likely isn't." He said. He then began to laugh, the feeling of freedom as they were speeding away filling him and he smirked, turning to Elsa. "You alright?" He asked. "Did they hurt you?"

Serenity snickered, "You found it ? Man that sword looks familar too, like out of one of those holovids Mother had us watch to learn from" The van pulled onto the road with Serenity at the wheel, they werent chased yet as the gate shut behind them, bullets traced around but quickly fell behind.

Elsa shook her head, "It is all a haze" She said. "There were a few men, one... he held something over my face, another made it wet..." Serenity swore softly in Arabic, though Mark knew exactly what she said, Those men were waterboarding her ?! Where they insane ? But she said it was all a haze too. so that meant she had been sedated or even drugged worse. "its nine or so hours to Arendelle, I can drive us home pretty quick if I must. Hey bro, if you got a connection to call off all police followers, best use it I can get pretty good speeds on straightways, but with cops scouring for us It'll take us longer to get home"

Mark was quiet when he heard that they waterboarded her. Now he really should have killed his father. But enough of that. "I got an idea or two..." He said in response to his sister's question. With that he took out his wrist phone, and called Car Key.

" _Scorp?_ "

"Yo, Key. Can you tell any and all police or highway patrol from my current location to Arendelle that all hands are needed at the station, as the goverment has an important mission breifing regarding the relocation of a Nuclear Warhead from a friendly nation?"

" _You thought of this on the spot didn't you? Who are you Jack Hawk ?_ "

"What's your point?"

 _"I'll see what I can do."_

"Thanks Key."

" _You owe me some of the Queen's wine though in return."_

"Done, she doesn't drink it anyway." Car Key smirked, and let out a quiet giggle before doing as requested. Mark hung up and leaned back in his seat, putting his feet up on the dash as he lowered his hood. and let his armor vanish before rubbing his eyes. "If you need me to drive lemme know. Otherwise, I ain't had a nap in a while." he yawned, closing his eyes. He'd help Elsa get over the trauma of waterboarding soon, or if it ever showed that she had trauma. So far, it didn't, with her still in a haze. He sighed and let out a breath, his broad chest shrinking as he let out his breath, then steadily rising and falling as he napped.

" _I got this bro. Take your nap. I'll wake you when we get home_ " Serenity said in their childhood dialect. With newfound street freedom Serenity leaned on the gas, their nine hour drive had just been cut in half. Elsa, still in a haze, like Mark, had passed out on the back seat, leaving Serenity to listen over the radio system she still had in one ear in order to elude all police everywhere she turned. She was skleeping in for sure when she got home. She snickered at times listning to the frantic reports of a fleeing van

She stopped only once for gas on the way back to Arendelle, but thankfully the guy working the place wasnt informed or had just come on duty as she paid in cash for the gas then left after filling the tank of the stolen van. Another four hours and they'd be home

 **North Mountain**

 **West Face**

 **North Pole Light Dock Ruins**

 **That same Night**

The snow fell, covering her in its white cold deadly embrace. Yet while she slept in the snowfall, she dreamed. _She woke up. Within a well lived and packed small city, a city so unlike London or anything else she had seen before in her life. Marion turned in a full circle, taking in the white presitine crystal stonework. Intricate designs trailed upon the stones. As she took it all in, seeing the people a voice broke into her thoughts. "I have always loved this Dock. One of the only ways to get home to Mother by portal or ship." Diamond said stepping into view_

 _"Am I dreaming ?" Marion asked, she had to be as the people walked right though her, not even seeing her yet, she couldnt harm them._

 _"Perhaps" Diamond replied, a soft smile on her face._

 _Covered by scales, her face glittered in the sunlight. Marion didnt remember seeing her before so she asked. "Who are you ?"_

 _"I am Diamond" The woman in white and lime green replied. "I know who you are, Marion Wolfe, the daughter of Charity and Marcus Wolfe. Half human, half Eagle, Half Tigris. But at your birth. we had a bit of a problem with that." Diamond explained. Marion dodded, she remembered being ill, her mother spoke to her about it when she was returning to Arendelle only a year before. How her eyes had taken on that shine of silver edged with ice green. Like that of a dragon. "When your mother used the Healing Stone upon us, it washed away what made you ill. Made you what you were born to be... Made... bus/b who we are, who we were to become."_

 _"When I questioned my mother of her bloodline, of my bloodline, Mother didnt want to talk about it. I had to grill her for it" Marion turned away from Diamond, and smacked a wall. It was then she saw what she was wearing, the sliver clothed arm, hers, glittered bright in the sunlight around her. Upon feeling it it felt cold to the touch. Brief memories of her fight with her mother before leaving had she released what was going on. "What is happening to me ?!" She cried dropping to her knees briefly_

 _"The snowfall has caused a brief rockslide, buring your body under it deep in the snow. Do not worry, my magic is defending you from harm of the extreme cold, you will feel cold briefly, but it will pass before you know it. After all, you were always the one to sneak out of the house in the dead of winter as a child, go up on the roof, and let the snowfall around you when pretty much naked, or fresh from a bath with naught but a towel" Diamond said simply, Marion stated at her. Diamond smiled, "Remember, we are one being, I am you and you are me. Remember the dream of a palace of crystal. A portal transporting you there. Seeing a woman with black hair, and a bright golden almost glowing dress ?" Marion nodded. "That was not simply a dream" Diamond started walking through the crowd, Marion followed her_

 _"What do you mean ? I dreamed it, how can it be not just a dream ?" She asked, it unnerved her to simply walk through the people, or vice versa._

 _"It was a memory. A memory you had, a memory... of mine" Diamond said. "When your mother used the healing stone on you,... us... it brought what made you, you. in this case, me. and washed away everything ewlse that didnt make you what you were. You are the daughter of the Wolfe Clan yes, but... when Light called you her daughter. She meant it." Diamond stepped towards a building, it was like a massive airport, similar to Atlanta or Orlando airport, heck possibly even like Denver or Heathrow airports if that in construction, a single massive tower was in the place, it towered hundreds of meters into the sky. Marion figered it at ten kilometers, but she was off by thirteen kilometers. The Light Dock was extactly the same hight as its counterpart, twenty three kilometers_

 _As they walked through the docklike town Marion saw many ships attached to the massive tower, airships unlike any she had ever seen in her life, buyt they all reminded her of the Whitesparrow. "What is this place ?"_

 _"This was the Light Dock, one of the few places to open a portal to return to the Courts of Light... Mothers home so to speak" The two continued walking, coming to a steel and glass building Marion saw hundreds of people in similar clothing to herself and Diamond at work on seemingly holographic technologies within the building. "Hundreds of thousands of years ago, the precoursors ran things." Diamond said, as she spoke the technoliogies slowly changed to crystals and floating holopgrahic devices before the building was empty. Marion noticed the street too was empty. But when she turned to look the street around her changed into war and bloodshed "For a generation there was war... And then... Arendelle was established. Well before my... our... birth... The first queen, Flowerfist the Fair, and your ancestor, Second Wolfe, had established Arendelle... For a time the country prospered, but... then came the darkness"_

 _As Diamond continued to speak Marion watched it all, Queen Ingrid the First, soon become a dark and evil woman, nearly drove Arendelle to the ground by her evil power, creating from her magic a creature of power below her own. Draco, then a young Black Dragon, had become a new breed of dragon, Marion saw it all. Thanks to this history trip it was one hell of a memory walk. She walked among the memories, watching as Draco corrupted certain other Black Dragons, and then falling in love with another like him. The memory stopped when they were once more surrounded by glasslike crystal halls. "Mother commended her, yet..." Marion watched as Diamond quieted, she watched the memory through Diamonds eyes, of Kethend being banished._

 _Marion dropped to her knees again as the cold bit at her. Diamond's image faltered briefly. "You must fight to reclaim what is ours by right." Diamond said, her voice echoed around Marion, she saw in her hands her twin swords, the swords she had made from a Piece of Eden. She also felt her ancestor, Yaeko's swords at her hips._

 _"What am I to fight ? If this is just snow buring me ever deeper in its cold embrace..." Marion said_

 _Diamond shook her head, "Illuisons can kill, defeat them, survive the cold. Reclaim what belongs to you." Diamond said, Marion turned then, seeing the villagers had changed into bloodthirsty Red Dragons, Moving quickly she dispatched them in pairs. Using her abilties, her speed. And last of which were Diamonds own magic abilites. She launched one target off the side, killing it as it fell out of sight. She threw one of her swords at another, dropping it in its tracks._

 _As she moved through the endless cold caverns of a broken mindscape Marion saw brief images of what could be the past, or her present, When she came upon her mother surrounded by Red Dragons, Marion fought like a demon against the Reds, finally bringing them down she went to her mother who laid in the snowfall. Dropping her swords she cradled her mother's head in her lap. Diamond reappeared. "Was it truly worth losing your mother ? Her secret she kept from you. Who you really are, what you are. Was it truly worth it ?"_

 _For a long moment Marion simply cradled her dead mothers head in her lap, the Reds had trampled her, her body broken. Surrounded by Red Dragons, and now ruins, Marion stared ahead, tears streamed from her eyes. Finally she shook her head. "No, Mother had her reasons to keep her secrets from me. I was wrong to fight her for them. No secret is worth losing the only family you have left." She said at long last_

 _Diamond smiled. With a nod she said simply. "Wake up, Marion. Before the snow falls again" The scene faded around her and her eyes snapped open_

Sitting bolt upright in a snowdrift Marion dug her way out and then tripped over what had to be a brief foundation, she looked up again, and very briefly she thought she saw a tower high into the sky. But she watched as the image faded into naught but trees and broken mountains. She looked down to see what she had tripped over, and found a working trap door, She broke it open and climbed down, black rock filtered sunlight like mirrors, making the dank place seemingly glow from within. She came to a halt at the base of a stairway.

She halted and stared. A pair of almost glasslike swords floated in center of the light column, she heard Diamonds voice again in her ears, echoing from the back of her mind, "Relcaim what belongs to you. What belongs to us. Go back to your mother, be with her! She needs you..." Diamonds voice faded from Marions mind but with her diamond scale upon her chest Marion reached forwards, energy branched out from the swords, latching onto her arm, recognsing her the swords flung themselves first into the air, energy lancing everywhere before latching on to her arms again as she reached for the two swords. Flashes of electrical power lanced across the cavern as the swords nested perfectly in her hands. Upon looking at the blades, Marion saw not her face, but Diamonds smiling face of approval. A fast motion and the swords were on her hips, their hilts glittering brightly with gold and lime green.

It was time to go home.

At about the same time as Marion finding the twin swords of who she once was, a van pulled into the Greensky District and parked in the Den yard there. Elsa was home after four days away,

The sun was coming up.

 **Mymory Sync verified; seqeunce 9 completed**


	41. Seqeunce 10 Memory 1

**_Jellicle's Creed_**

 ** _Frozen Memories_**

 ** _Seqeunce 10_**

 ** _Memory 1 The Battle of Arendelle_**

 **28 May 2055**

 **Arendelle**

 **Arko District Shores**

 **Sunrise**

 _"Test of Metal: Nerves of Steel, Heart of Gold, Will of Iron, balls of Brass"_

 **-Unknown comedian**

Den defenses were supposed to be easy. Supposed to be easy, Ok so they were not complicated but not simple tasks. When noritity got high enough there were problems, lots of them, and the past three years had seen a rise in recent rebuilding across the kingdom and more districts had been liberated however. those liberations came at a very deadly cost. iSomeone/i was arming the Templars, and not just with drugs, but with guns, some even knew a few kenetic spells for area damage. But the more recent liberations proved costly on the Assassins. With only seven districts left to liberate, the Templars formed a plan and chose to attack Arko, their former major stronghold

But what they had on their side was the element of surprise to pull off the attack. Three years of planning, restructuring, and training had accounted up to this strike, If they could retake Arko District from the Assassins, it gave them an edge and they could strike at the castle easier. Unfortunately, they'd have to fight for the Den. Attacking the den was one thing, taking and holding it, defending it themselves when there were so few Templars left for this main strike.

Key templars from across the Northern Sceptre had begun arriving by ship to various districts. Using what they could to set up shop along the roads within the kingdom. The Duke had a plan and so did Prince Hans. the Duke, the current Grand Master of the Northern Sceptre stayed aboard his ship out in the waters of the fjord observing the battle. Thanks to technology; tyhe duke had a full realtime 3d map of the area for the battle, full mapping softeware developed by a firm years berfore in the south.

"This will not be an easy battle even with your men" A sultry, very dead, voice mused aloud.

"I agree. Which is why my forces will be reserves, Prince Hans will be handing the main attack" the Duke replied calmly

"And me ?" the Wolf Queen asked, as much as she wanted to rule Arendelle, she couldnt bear to be there at that moment

"You're here to watch. just like me. Grab some food or... whatever it is you eat, the party is going to begin soon" with that the Duke left the cabin and went to the cook to set up a meal upon the main deck to watch the party on shore within Arko District

Draco himself stood over the battlemap, his tailored military uniform bringing the level of light in the room down a few notches while the red of the trim and creases and detailings glowed with his eyes. He narrowed his eyes at the formations and let out a low, idle growl before scoffing. "Such simple formations. So few numbers..." Draco looked to the Duke with a stern gaze.

"You realise that if the first wave fails, so does the rest of your plan, yes?"

The Duke smiled as he sipped his tea "That is the plan, the first wave is the locals fighting to retake their home. Prince Hans will be waiting and making ready while the first wave attacks to swarm in from inside some of the buildings" The Duke replied from his seat at the table "Assassins set up fortifications along the streets, but never in the buildings that interconnect" He pointed out two such buildings, "Buildings liek these... On either side of the road, would provide perfect crossfire zones for all forms of fighters be they assassin or Templar."

"So the First wave is bait" Ingrid mused as she saw the Dukes plan, the first was was a distraction to allow Hans and his men to get to their position in order to really make things ugly. "Who are the enemy commanders ?"

"We only know of one. and I want her alive." the Duke said, apparently he still had a score to settle with Snowfeather

Draco narrowed his eyes again and looked over the field once more. He could sense something was off, he would need to leave, get his hands dirty, so to speak. He turned to the Wolf Queen for a moment. "I'm leaving." was all he growled out before his body sank to the floor in a puddle of black sludge, vanishing under the the Dukes seat while bubbling. He'd reappear somewhere else.

The Duke smirked as Draco left, he sure was a party pooper, but then he didnt really worry about the old guy. At least as yet. Hans himself had wanted certain things out of this deal, and one of them was to take over Arendelle, and by taking over Arko district was the best, possibly only shot to take the kingdom by force. However it was as soon as Draco had left when the Duke asked Ingrid "was it something I said ?" he took a sip of his tea, then grimaced, "No its the tea,, bleh, Harnigold!" The Duke stood from his seat and stalked out of the cabin

 **Arendelle**

 **Castle, Elsa's private study**

 **At that same moment**

Elsa was pacing, Darrin the headservant under Kai stood waiting "You are sure that is the only thing missing ?" She asked him, the man nodded. With Mark standing in the doorway, when he should be getting ready for a den defense, Elsa needed his advise, Serena stood against a bookshelf unwrapping a item Elsa had her collect from a Templar filled district. a statuette. "Tell me about that night."

"It is as we reported Madam, someone knocked out Davis in the hall, we did not spot anything amiss within this room after careful searcing, Princess Anna had us search carefully all night long, with us was Diana of the Assasins until she took her leave after assigning Lady Georgina to keep watch." Darrin detailed the night, with Serena providing a few details What was more, there was nothing, inothing/i disterubed enough to even account for a Vision replay no matter how Mark tried to figure out how the thief got in, which was obvious, by stealing Davis key after knocking him out. the poor man had a broken jaw upon waking up. But it was the note of pale eyes that made everyone wonder and think on who could have gotten in, without any of the Assassin's spotting them, and then, stealing only one thing

The one thing that was possible more important than Elsa herself

After three years of searching and trying to figure out what was taken

Someone had stolen the Shroud

The question was. Who ?

Mark's mind went over the details. Three years. Three years since it happened and they haven't figured it out. What could be so important that someone would sneak in and ste- "The Shroud." Mark said flatly, looking up from the ground as he moved, moving away from his leaning position in the door frame with his arms crossed. "They were after the Shroud...and they found it." he said again.

In the last three years, he'd had a lot of time to practice. Mentally, he was much sharper, with Kaldakava helping him think and percieve the world around him as a Dragon would, physically, and magically, he was on par with a base-level Blackmane, though he would never really know how powerful his aunt could be. But perhaps more importantly, was his finally getting over his fear of Den Defenses. He still hated them, but he no longer had a panic attack upon watching or practicing them.

"But why would they want the Shroud?"

"I think the main question is how did they know it was even here ?" Elsa replied still pacing. "That thing was in a plain white oak box, blended in with my desk, everything, At times I even forgot we even had it."

"We had _the_ Shroud of Eden ? In this room ?" Serena asked as she studied the statue she'd picked up from the Noah District. It looked kinda like a key by its base alone, like a gear cog or something.

"We did, someone sent it with an Assassin from London." Elsa replied. Elsa turned to the servant then "Darrin, send for Davis, I wish to speak to him personally about that night, soon as we're done I want every District Captain on alert, somethings happening in Arko again and we need to finish it once and for all if we can" It was good that Elsa was indeed finally taking charge with her sister and actually getting stuff done in the kingdom rather than issuing orders that never got filled.

As Mark, or was it Serenity ? Who said it, Sanctions and words never got stuff done.

Serena nodded, fingering the statue of Elsas grandmother Ingrid the Second. its base looked indeed like a key, and there was one left in the kingdom somewhere. "Funky base wont have the statue stand upright." Serena mumbled, Elsa didnt exactly know what Serena really was, other than Marks older sister by a year, and elder twin of Serenity by a minute. Elsa had no idea the woman was a Bengal Tiger by birth alone. Serena stood up from where she sat and set the statue on its back on the desk.

Then she saw it. " _Mark, curtainrod, makeshift backpack, How big was the Shroud box ?_ " Serena asked in their childhood dialect going to the window, the bare curtain rod everyone had missed until she drew her brothers attention to it. the light velvet cloth of the other window curtain was missing its own twin. So find that...

 _"Not big. Something you'd carry a few loafs of bread in."_ He looked to the curtain rod, and patted his sister's shoulder. _"Keep an eye out for it's twin. Send a messenger bird if you find it._ " he said. In the three years, Mark had connections to almost every bird in the main city of the Kingdom. And while he wouldn't know exactly what each bird was saying, he'd know what each bird meant, especially if sent by an ally.

"As for the statue, take it to a Stone-Mason, they'll have a sander to help it fit better." he added before his sister left. He cleared his throat and approached Elsa, putting a gentle hand on her shoulder to stop her pacing.

"We'll find the Shroud, don't worry. You should give the Assassins a little speech before something happens in Arko, give them something to fight for." He smiled, his voice gentle and soft.

Elsa turned to the statue as Serena spoke to her brother. Looking over it carefully she resumed her pacing briefly before stopping at Marks touch. "Grandmothers statuette" She mused thoughtfully as Serena spoke to Mark.

"Our thief didnt come with anything to carry their desired item out in, so they stole a curtain off the rod, and used it as a makeshift backpackroll of a sort." Serenity and Serenas clothing came with a refelctive material cloak that they sometimes used as a makeshift backpack by taking it off, then using the middle of it to store stuff, them rapidly spinning the ends of the thing into slender ropes of a sort to sling over the shoulders.

"So the thief stole two items, not one" Elsa said as Serena left without ansewering but with a nod from her brother. Elsa knew exactly what to do with the statuette of her grandmother. All that was left was her own mothers statuette out of the eight, holding the stateu in one hand Elsa said softly "Any word from Serenity and Diana ?" She'd sent them to the Tolkien District to find her mothers statuette, "They should be back by now" She nodded at mention of the den defense. She'd taken part in a few practise runs. But her first real den defense...

Mark let his hand fall off of Elsa's Shoulder as he moved to lean against the desk, sitting on the edge of it casually as she spoke "I wouldn' t worry too much about Serenity and Diana...they're smart and capable Assassins, if they aren't back by the end of the day I'll go looking for them myself." he assured her with a small smile.

In the three years that had past, Mark had seemingly finally learned to relax around Elsa, he now frequently let his hood down, and was a lot more affectionate as well, frequently hugging and even kissing her when given an opportunity, and she likewise was more affectionate as well. He then looked back to Elsa as she nodded in mention of the den defense. "Are you ready? Your men need their Queen."

A pep talk, that was what was now needed, "The men are waiting, we are waiting for your sister and Diana to return, and the Shroud is missing" Elsa mused as she set the statuette of her grandmother on the desk gently using a cloth to lay on without damage. the satuette looked to be made, like the other statuettes, of the same materials as the Apple on the desk.

Elsa set her knuckles on the desk as she tried t othink on what to do. They'd just finished breakfast before making plans in the study when they found what was stolen three years before. Why did it take so long ? No it wasnt t obe worried about. Elsa had never fully took part in a den defense before. And the men after all, were waiting for her and Mark.

By then the Kingdom as a whole knew about Mark and how close they were, but not many people knew exactly how close they were, Anna was still engaged to the ice Master, Kristoff, which thanks to Elsa's promise, as soon as Arendelle was clean of Templar influence, they could marry. Anna had thrown herself into helping clear out the Templars, going so far as to helping rebuild damaged homes with the workmen. Sometimes Elsa did too

Finally Elsa nodded "Where's your command center ?" She asked Mark, sliding her arm into his as they left the study, letting Mark escort her. If she was to give a speech, they'd have to be ready somewhere

"The Arko Main Den." Mark answered, closing his arm around hers and entwining his fingers with hers to hold her hand while they walked. Arko, as it was the main living area of Arendelle, was one of the biggest districts, as such, one Den wasn't enough to fully be able to delegate and protect the district from Templar Attacks. Knowing this, the Assassin's had built two more sub-dens to support the main one, which lie closest to the Palace and it's own district. The Sub dens lay on the border, and half-way between the former and Main Den respectively.

Moving through the Palace, Mark went over some of the intricacies of Den Defense that he'd picked up over the last three years, since he was now able to stomach them without breaking down, he was able to fully understand what it meant to defend a district and it's den. Because Arko was so large and close to the palace, it was a key striking point, or defending point, depending on who ever held it. It's sheer size made it difficult to attack, as one had to control all three dens to do so, and all three were surrounded by fortifications for the upcoming battle. The Assassin's knew the Templar Target was Arko specifically, and were prepared to defend it to the last man.

As they rounded the corner to the staircase leading to the main hall where they would exit the palace to head towards Arko, Mark planted a kiss on Elsa's cheek, a quick, playful one just to lift her spirits a bit. "Would you rather we walk? Or take a Transport array?" he asked. Walking would be more romantic, but Transport Array would obviously be fastest.

Transport arrays were faster yes, but Arko wasnt that far to begin with either. "Lets walk. Besides it will lift the spirits of the men if they see us walking the roads rather than just showing up inside the den." Elsa said. The two left the palace and headed through the courtyard, the ice glittered brightly in the morning sunlight. Three years of removing a stain her mother couldnt defend against. If only her mother was there to see it. Of course Mark never told her that her mother was indeed alive. Yet. But she never bothered him about it.

The two stepped onto the bridge, leading from the castle gates to the Arko district itself. It was literally that close to the castle District alone. A dozen or so steps from the castle gates to the entry of Arko. A few dozen steps more and they passed the first sub den; Elsa saw the many fortifications. But it made her nervous, three dens inside Arko, but only one signal tower in trhe entire district

Arriving at what had to be the core of the district Elsa saw the strongest foritifcations were there. The other two dens she'd surmised were to fall back if ground was lost, to the main den. The rooftops were well secured and patrolled constantly by Assassins above them. The core of the district was the most defended. Assassins were everywhere she looked. Many of them recruited from her own soldiers. Seeing her and mark the men and women turned their way, bowing in greeting.

But no matter how often Esla looked for Georgina, she couldnt find her. Anywhere, it was as if she had completely disappeared three years ago after giving birth to a baby boy. Of course Elsa hadnt been exactly notified about the birth only that Georgina requested matrity leave. Which Elsa had quickly granted, after which the Princess from China had pretty much disappeared completely thanks to a certain Light Dragon or three.

The two were brought up short however as two people entered their field of view, after three yeasrs Serenity's scars had finally faded away to nothing; allowing her to be a tiger at will again when she liked, with her was the ever masked Assassin, now a level 1 Assassin, with five more levels to go, Diana. Mark never pressured the young woman to reveal her face concerning where she was from and her traditions to keeping her face covered, but try as he might he never could figure out what she was when he tried using his Vision on her, just a plume of white light

"See? Told you they'd be fine." Mark whispered to Elsa as Diana and Serenity came into view. He returned each bow with his now signature salute, learned through Kalda's Memories of his right fist over his heart, and a smile. He currently wasn't wearing his armor, which was good, as the claws would be scratching Elsa's hand as he held it.

They moved towards the Den, the door being held open by a lower ranking Assassin, and Mark lead Elsa up stairs to another door, leading to a balcony. Here he stopped, and turned to face her. "Alright, you've done plenty of rousing speeches before. Think about what we're fighting for, what it means if we lose. Give them hope. You got this." He smiled, leaning in to kiss her softly on the lips before patting her shoulders and winking. He raised his hood, and his armor came to him, forming on his body digitally like it always did.

He opened the balcony door, and nodded his hooded head. "Your audience awaits."

Elsa saw that Serenity carried the package, normally her cloack was waving crazily whipped around by a breeze but this time ti was used more or less as a makeshift backpack. with Diana also there it made her smile, she motioned for them to follow her and Mark, she had a speech to make. Mark was right, she had done rousing speeches before, But this was one that she'd be making men and women both either fight and die for, or just die for, or make the enemy die for it

She thought rapidly as Mark briefly kissed her, her mind racing, so many things going on at once before she focused. defending their home, the castle. The loss of Arko paved the way to that prize, the Castle, her home... It could do. Stepping onto the baslcony the men and women in the courtyard looked up as the door opened, briefly seeing her conversing with Mark, most if not all the Assassins within Arendelle knew of the friendship the two shared. But none of them dwelled on it or even speculated on it.

To be fare the entire kingdom saw them kiss on the dancefloor on the queens own birthday three years before. But compared to that, this was something entirely different, Over the last there years Elsa's dress had taken on a darker shade of sparkly red. Even in red or her beautiful ice gown Elsa was pretty. Mark standing beside her with his elder sister Serenity, and another Assassin whose face was covered made Elsa all the more pretty and imposing.

Everyone cheered when Elsa stepped onto the balcony and went to the rail. But they soon quieted when she started speaking,. Causing many to wonder at first what she meant before they knew exactly what she was talking about. "Theives... That is what the Templars are, if they win this fight, they steal from us the only means to get to the Castle from any other district, If they steal Arko from us, they have a path to steal further, it will only embolden them to steal not just districts, but objects within those districts" Wait, A Templar stole something and it wasnt a District ? Elsa of course had no idea that the perspon who stole the Shroud was in fact directed by Light to do so and was actually a high ranking member of the Assassins before Mark was even born

Mark now stepped forward, sensing a lapse in Elsa's thought process, and picking it up before the energy died down. "And that is why we must fight! Not simply for the Palace, not simply for our way to the Palace, but for our homes! For your neighbors, wives, daughters, brothers, sisters, husbands, sons, and at the very least yourselves! The Templars have plans to steal away your very will to live, and we stand here to look them in the eye, and say "NO!" So pick up your swords, your guns, your blades. Don your cloaks and armor, take up your positions! For Arendelle!" He lifted his arm up, the armor glowing brightly in the morning light, and the crowds below cheered out, loud enough to rumble the windows and foundation of some of the older houses.

At the nod from her brother Serentiy spoke up, "Get to your posts, be ready for anything!" As she spoke she had to smile, Elsa set her hands on the balcony rail, this was going to be a heck of a fight if the Templars brought in the heavy weapons, siege engines, heavy flamers or machinegun emplacements were normally the worst to come across, in Egypt what they had gone against were mostly electronic controlled barriers, hackers, and technology, Arendelle didnt have that stuff, yet

Amid the crowd of Assassin's and Arendelle soldiers alike stood two women, one of them with long silver and white hair, the other with dark brown hair. "He speaks well doesnt he ?" The silver haired woman said simply. In the time the Eagle Princess had been in Arendelle for the last three years Elsas magic had grown by leaps and bounds, more recently was certain events that took everyones attention every year during the Great Summer Winterfesticval when Elsa made it snow for a day in order for everyone to enjoy themselves and take a break from the extreme heat that recently began in the last two or so years

"He does" The second woman said, dressed in purple and dark pink, Asaca stood a half head taler than most of the soldiers and Assassin's present. The Eagle Princess stood next to her in equal height. "He is still adapting. How are the medics ?"

"They are ready in the courtyard last I heard" Fang replied. It was true, a soon as Mark and Elsa passed through the courtyard a swarm of white doves landed pretty much, a dozen or more women in white and silver robes where ready to tend to the wounded. "Wexzaki is leading them, she's a good combat medic... to a point She almost did not pass her final exams if it werent for the battle that broke out that day"

"So I heard. Will she be present ?"

"If you want something broken, yes"

"She got that parrots poison out of you easy enough"

"Dont remind me of that. The parrot told us nothing of this plot"

"But he did lead us to his leader, who had details on the plot"

"True. We have to thank them both for that"

"Even though they lied about your arranged marraige ?"

A feather appeared at Asaca's neck "Do not bring that up, it was a coverstory set up by my father in order to lure out our enemies" Fang hissed before letting go of the feather, it flickered briefly before returning to part of her hair

"And now the plan ?"

"Defend this district." With that Fang turned and went into a nearby building before taking to the air. Their plan was simple, Fang was scouting, and the moment her silver feather lodge itself in the balcony rail, the fight was on.

 **On the ship in harbor**

 **At that same moment**

The stateroom door opened "Yes ?" The Duke said

"Sir, they've got a bird flying and the men are ready"

"Begin the attack, wave one is a go, they give no quarter, that should brighten Captain Calis' day" the Duke said sipping a tea after dropping two sugars into it

"Yes sir" The mate left the room and the battle was on

 **Arko District**

 **Core Den**

 **At that same moment**

Fang saw it begin, dozens upon dozens of Templars swarmed down a street being joined by others, moving swiftly towards the northern subden defenses. She flicked about, launching a feather of silver like a throwing knife. It slammed into the table Mark had set up to plan his defenses with, stabbing perfectly into the north subden's location. Signalling the attack had begun there. Two seconds later another feather lodged in the south subdens location. The Templars were trying to cut them in two, devide their numbers before going for the heart

"Classic divide and conquer..." Mark said. "Very well." He opened the radio channels, provided by Car Key, and spoke. "Snipers to your positions. Forces divide to the Sub Dens. Groups 5, 6, 7, and 8 to the Northern Sub-Den. Groups 1,2,3, and 4 to the South. Groups 9 and 10 stay in the center, prepare for anything." he barked. "Elsa, it's time to lead your people. You head to the North, I'll cover down South. Ulnaus will help you, use iall/i your senses, not what you see alone. The Templars will be trying to kill you. If you can beat me in hand-to-hand combat, you'll be fine. Guns however are a different playing field, conjure some armor, anything. Good luck." He looked to Asaca. "Go with Elsa, keep her safe." He said, giving a curt nod before a transport array appeared for them and for him. He stepped through his, and appeared at the southern Sub Den, armor conjured, sword Drawn, and Desert Eagle in its holster at his thigh.

Elsa nodded, the north was hers. Hand to hand she could handle pretty well, after all the last three years she had, with the aid of Mark and others like his twin sisters, as well as Snowfeather and Blackmane, managed to nearly completely retaking Arendelle from the Templars, If only her mother could see it now. She leaned close to him before he could leave, and kissed him lightly on the cheek "Stay safe. If things go bad, come back here at the very least, in one piece" With that she nodded and left the building, twin swords of ice forming in her hands as she headed off with some of the groups of men and women.

Asaca half smiled, go with the queen... Well, the Queen had more than enough help. "I have other orders... iKaal/i" Asaca said softly before diving into his transport array before it could fade away, all but tackling Mark on the other side "And I do not plan to abandon them. Espeically when they were given me by the Princess of Arendelle" OK so, Anna wanted Asaca to follow one simple order, and that was to ensure what Elsa said to Mark happened, in this case, make it back to the core den safely in one piece

Infact, Anna's word posibly supersceded Mark's word, but not Elsa's word. And everyone knew how stubbern Anna could be. She had agreed with Elsa concerning the wedding between her and Kristoff. And even though Elsa said they had to clear out the Templars and get Arendelle 'back on its feet' money wise, even though it had already been three years since. It was in fact worth it now that the kingdom was making money again. Which meant that more and more often Anna went out and also aided in the liberations of districts. Much to Elsas dismay

Heaven help Anna when Elsa found out she went to the Brothel looking for Tiri and ended up finding Elsa and Mark; and also the Whitesparrow that was currently getting crewed at that exact moment in order to attack a certain ship in harbor should the fight spread to the water. Or worse, fire into the district itself

Mark grunted as he was tackled, practically into a wall, by the woman who was well over a foot taller than him. Putting a hand on her shoulder, he pushed her away, his face having been buried in her chest and he huffed. "I appreciate the gesture, but you aren't my type." He said. He patted her shoulder and started walking to the barrier as she spoke, following him. "Lemme guess...keep me alive, right? Look, you knew me as Kalda...the things we're about to face, nothing like he faced. This armor is unbreakable, and I'm too stupid to get shot in the head. Protect Elsa; this Kingdom needs her, not me." he said to Asaca as he scaled the road-block, the other Assassins he sent here opening fire with their rifles and cross bows on the Templars below.

Reaching over with his sword, Mark casually tipped over a swinging bucket of hot oil onto the road in front of the center of the barricade, where the only door was built. He then tapped the bucket, catching the attention of a flame-bearer, who shot a flaming arrow into the oil, just as a Templar stepped into it, while another one burst into flames from having the oil dumped on him. The screams were...something else, Mark inhaled. "Crispy..." he growned before whislting, two arrows put those templars out of their misery before the fighting continued.

"You're too short anyway... " _For a dragon at least_ Asaca mumbled in reply, Mark had almost gotten out of her voice range so she went quiet and thought he rest of it. She cast a glance to the sky above when a shriek of birds rang clear as she watched Princess Fang dive Bbmb into a massive mob of something out of eyesight and a dozen streets to the north before Asaca jumped the barricade to fight along side mark "Elsa has help! It is you that needs it" Mark had sent pretty much all reserves to the North subden, taking a reserve or two with him to the south, and keeping the rest at the core

What was Mark thinking ? Not even Kalda did something that undermanned when she worked with him ages before! "Mind your eyes!" Asaca said in draconic, sure Kalda knew exactly what that meant as harps sounded out of nowhere as beautiful golden energy pulsed like a flow of water on the ground and at the inital wave of Templars. Ashing the first row or two while turning the stone pavement into sheer golden rock

Mark chuckled at her response to her not being his type. Despite appearing undermanned, he was calm. "The Assassins have always been under-manned. The only non-Arendellian's here are those of us in command. Blackmane, Snowfeather. The rest of us have to be recruited as we liberate districts. Templars have quantity, we have quality. The weakest among us is worth at least two Templars. The strongest worth five Templar Captains." Mark moved his head to the side, dodging an arrow narrowly.

As Asaca used her Breathweapon, he turned his head, Kalda translating for him internally. "Any way to make that gold more shiny? If we could blind the Templars that'd be great." Mark said to her, again, calmly. While he hated Den Defenses, he'd gotten used to them, and covered up his hatred for them with a unnerving calmness. He sheathed his sword, and grabbed his DEagle, racking it before taking aim, shooting into groups of Templars, watching them fall together as the bullet travelled through three bodies, sending them flying with their comrades, which were then picked off by the snipers and other Assassins. Whenever the Templars got too close, which Mark deemed to be the golden Brick line that Asaca had just made, he let out a sharp whistle, and specially trained Shock Assassins jumped into the fray to disrupt Enemy Lines for a few seconds before another volley of arrows took them out.

It was effective, if not brutally so.

Asaca easily caught the arrow as it missed Mark, flicking her wrist she sent it blisteringly fast back where it came, lodged in the eye of the Templar that fired it, the man fell out of the window he'd been hidden in. "Not even Kalda, The Silver I trained to _adapt_ was this braindead!" Asaca said before catching and forcing Marks gun up and out of her face. "And if you are him, then you must remember some of his training too." She aimed his wrist, the pistol fired, taking dowm three more templars

Mark paused, pulling the trigger once more, another group of Templars falling. "You are both right and wrong. You are right in the sense that I remember what you taught Kalda, but you are wrong in assuming that it automatically makes me Kalda. I am Mark Wolfe of Arendelle, and I am an Assassin." He said sternly to her. He squeezed the trigger, and five Templar heads turned to pink mist.

"Templars are stupid; they're not like what Kalda faught. Besides, are you too dull to realize that this is only the first wave? I do believe it was you who taught Kalda to not waste all his resources and energy in one swift blow? Particularly when dealing with older opponents?" he turned to look the woman dead in the eye. Kalda's old snarkiness was certainly showing, but so was Mark's own brand. The man was right, he wasn't Kalda, but he did remember the teachings. "Besides, I can't adapt if there's nothing to adapt to yet. Templars will be Templars, and that means charging down a street like brain dead chickens." he shrugged, finger off his gun's trigger before he holstered it.

"Then at least remember to keep moving and dont make yourself a target like I taught you, OK ?" Asaca said simply. "You are more than an Assassin, you are more than a Man, You were once Her Champion. The Fifth Son," Asaca explained "I taught Kalda for two hundred years" A swarm of Templars mobbed them, the two briefly went back to back in a circle, slicing down Templars for a span of a good mionute or so before having a brief breather. "At the very least, Try to use some of those skills." Another arrow was fired, it easily bounced off the purple scales that covered Asaca's slender yet tall form.

A lower ranking assassin came to him, and handed him a Rifle; an old M1 Carbine. Older than dirt at this point, but still brutally effective against softly armored targets like these. Round after round, magazine after magazine, and body after body fell to the ground as Mark and the Assassin's held this side of the District with ease.

When the first wave was done, Mark clapped his hands. "Build a barricade out of their bodies! They have numbers, but they are not as mentally strong as us! They will falter when it comes to this!" Mark called out, and work began immediately. Just in front of the golden bricks a barrier of dead Templar Bodies was built, with a narrow gap in the middle to funnel them into a bottleneck, ripe for the sniping and picking. They wouldn't be getting through it in one peice.

Asaca for once, smiled. with an approving nod she saew it happening before her. Mark, like she had taught Kalda. Was starting to adapt to his enviroment. With a flick of the wrist her magic activated, and the golden stonework cracked and groaned, swiftly turning to sand as the stone was removed of the gold. Which soon formed bracepoints and also reformed the damaged fountain of the south subden. But there was always thr chance that seeing their dead comrades used in such a way could only boost the Templars morale

 **Arendelle**

 **Unknown District**

 **At that same moment**

Normally they were in their fathers study, but at that moment they were on the back deck, a screened porch so to speak with a shadowy map of the Arko District between them, four children, all of them adults actually, were listening intently to their father as he detailed the Dukes plan, and its many flaws. However there was some good of it, according to the real time information on the shadowmap of the battle and the remaining Templars attacking two smaller dens within the district in an effort to divide and conqure the attacks also divided Elsa from her bodyguard. Which meant orders given. Orders in as much that two were to attack the North subden with a legion of Shadows, and two to attack the south subden with a legion of Shadows.

"Jr, you're going for the Queen, Taris, her boyfriend." Draco said. He looked to the twins, Sutri and Nasty. "Nasty you want your revenge for your ammateur chest surgery, so you will go after her Bodyguard with Taris. Sutri, the Queen." Draco sat back into his chair, and took from the side-table beside him a glass of wine, taking a drink. "Kill them, and their whole plan, and Kingdom, fall apart. Do this, and you will all be greatly rewarded. Fail, and it is a week in the pits. For all of you." he said sternly.

"Am I understood?"

The four stood straight before bowing, a resounding "Yes Father," ringing out in unison. There was a knock at the door, and it opened, the smell of Drunk wafted in.

"Brutus."

"Father." the eldest son wheeled in about five crates of Draconian Whiskey, and another four of Draconian Wine; Draco's favorite beverages as of late. "Your shipment." he turned to look at the map, pulling out a flask from his pocket and taking a swig. "Looks gross." he said as he looked over the plan. He blinked slowly and shrugged. "I'd say just send the runts to the center and have the defending line collapse on itself. But what do I know, I'm just a drunk." he said, shrugging. He gave a curt bow. "Father. Runts." he turned and left with that.

Jr's fist balled tight, and Draco snapped his fingers. "Do that and you'll end up in the pits for a month after he's done with you. He idid/i hatch first. He is the biggest of all of you. He's also surprisingly smart." Jr growled in discontent. "Keep that up and I'll name him Jr and you Brutus." Draco barked, his expression unchanging as he took another drink of wine.

"Go over the plan amongst yourselves. Get it done." he then melted into Shadow, taking his wine with him. A Kobold took the crates of alcohol and took them to the cellar for safe storage.

As their father, and their older brother left, Nasty smirked; already carefully taking in her fathers words and going over things carefully, the Dukes movements divied up the queen from her bodyguard, the same man who had hurt her. Thankfully her fathers magic and her own shadows had rebuilt what the Silver had torn away, but it still left bleeding scars across her chest and neck. Crossing her arms the younger purple eyed twin carefully plotting out an attack pattern, but it was Taris that spoke to calm her brother

"Father is right. Brutus may be drunk. but he is stronger," Taris said thoughtfully, trust the runt of the entire litter, -the first one of the five to make her OWN Shadowling ontop of that because she overheard their fathers shadowlings debating on who to tell him the news of where their mother was, And then Jr got his own Kobold Guard unit A few days later- to actually talk sense and be treated as an equal. "Brutus hatched first, it makes him the oldest"

"And you the youngest" Nasty said simply, Taris didnt care what her siblings thought about her anymore, she had her own Shadowlings now, that was all that mattered. Finally Nasty nodded. "Alright, Taris and I take the south area. You guys get the north. Papa is counting on us to get this done, and for once done correctly. We may be his children, but it wont stop him from punishing us if we fail. Besides, I want to get back at the idiot for his... attempt at body remodeling"

"So we take the bodyguard. Wonderful" Taris started mapping out the battlefield. The fastest way to target and move, fast, if the need came to it. But her sister already had a plan. They each had a section of their fathers Legion at their command for this fight, they werent going to fail.

"And we get the Queen. This will not be easy." Sutri said, looking over the map. At Jr's confused, over-confident look, she continued. "She's practically mastered her magic, she's had combat training from her self-same body-guard, and rumor has it she can beat him in said combat. Without her Magic." Her eyes narrowed.

"So we focus her, the two of us, our Legions focus the regular lackies?" Jr leaned forward, furrowing his eyebrows.

"That's my thought process, unless you've got a better plan." At the shake of Jr's head, she smiled and nodded. "Alright. Our plans are set. It's time to execute them. Do remember the punishment for failure." she said. The other three nodded and vanished into the shadows.

As the four faded into their respective shadows to begin their assault, the map of Arko also faded into nothing ever so slowly and it also showed a ship floating into the harbor, a truly massive ship. What its purpose was none knew... yet. But it made the commander of the other ship rather nervous...


	42. Seqeunce 10 Memory 2

_**Jellicle's Creed**_

 _ **Frozen Memories**_

 _ **Seqeunce 10**_

 ** _Memory 2 What Did they Aim For..._**

 **28 May 2055**

 **Arendelle**

 **Arko District**

 **Midmorning**

" _Dont bother me, I wont become a hero_ "

 **\- Lady Hawkthorne**

Barely into the fight and they were backup. On the ship, which was ordered, by Elsa no less, to be commanded by Diana as reserve forces in the extreme case wherein they'd have to shell the district, if it came to that, which they all hoped it never would do so, they were to keep half their cannon aimed towards shore at various angles, the rest with a wary eye on the lone vessel in the harbor at that time. With Serenity as quartermaster as Serena had returned to their home to inform their mother and aunt of the pending battle it left little choice for the water loving Tigris to sit at a rail giving orders as the men, she knew the men were boered beyond help just like she was.

Why were they stuck on the ship when they could be ambushing Templars in alleys or buildings ?

The chatter of the crew was nothing that wasn't to be expected. The typical banter between men and women of food, training, fighting, family, reasons for fighting, and so on. Marion stood off to the side of the helm, a spyglass raised to her eye as she observed the Duke's Command Ship closely. She saw the flash of another spy glass and smirked, lowering her own and retracting it before putting it in her pocket. i"Perfect. They've noticed us."/i Diamond said.

"Exactly my plan." Marion replied softly, so that none would hear her.

 _ **On the Duke's Ship**_

"What the **fuck** is that?" said one sentry.

"What are you tal-...holy fuck..."

The Whitesparrow's massive sails bellowed in the low breeze of the Fjord. Easilly five rows of Cannons on both sides of the ship, not including the main deck, all of them at least twenty-pounder guns. The very wood seemed to glow, as did the sails...hell even the nails glowed. "What the fuck..." the sentry whispered to himself again. "Inform the Duke..." the other Sentry paused, nervous, but nodded.

The sound of running and clamboring down the many ladders and stairs of the ship was heard as the man all but slammed into the Duke's door, the thing all but falling off its hinges at the impact. "Sir! Sir there's something you're going to want to see..." he was panting, out of breath and tired. "Big...sails! Wood, glowing...holy shit..." Finally he passed out from lack of breath, slumping to the floor then and there.

The Duke watched and tried to piece together what the man tried to tell him before passing out, turning to the Wolf Queen he asked simply "Did you by any chance understand any of that ?" She just looked at him, the Duke rolled his eyes and stood from his table, moving to the window as _something_ killed the sunlight. "What in the..." He faltered seeing the massive prow of the Whitesparrow blocking out the sun, and it was only 500 feet away... Oh dear

 _ **On the Whitesparrow**_

Serenity spotted the smaller ship the minute they entered the harbor. she was sure as well that Diana saw it as the woman retook the helm and guided the ship towards the middle area of the harbor, keeping both an angle on Arko, and a wary eye upon the smaller vessel, She spotted the Templar flag. "That... that is a Weselton ship" Serenity mused aloud, catching the attention of three people, wto of which were commanding the ship from the helm, the other a nearby Assassin

"Masters, what should we do ?" asked the Assassin, a low Footpad ranked fellow by the look of him. A low footpad rank most likely, they had many of them. If the Duke was there observing the fight...

Serenity looked towards Marion, in this caase Diana. Or rather, Diamond. Where did the white haired green and white dressed woman come from again ? Serenity made a mental note to ask when the battle was over, in the meanwhile she turned to the Assassin to speak "Watch the vessel, but act like we never noticed it. Spread word to observe for now Best case scenario they noticed us first..." Yep, they did notice, Serenity spotted a sentry fleeing below decks, apparently to tell the duke what had arrived. Serenity smuiled, turning towards Diana, or what had to be Diana she saw not the woman who had briefly replaced her but Diana herself. This was confusing

It didnt matter, "We've been seen" Diana said simply as she guided the vessel towards their desired anchor point, the middle point between the Weselton Ship and the Arko District shoreline.

"So what now ?" Serenity asked

"We wait for our orders"

"And afterwards ?"

"We follow them"

The Tigris sighed, she hated waiting. She wondered briefly how her brother was doing. By look of things, the silver bird was circling in two areas at once. Wait a minute, two silver birds ? Serenity stood and using the spyglass watched the birds carefully.

"Parrot shit" the Tigris grumbled. "The templars are using an old trick, divide enemy forces, thin the ranks at the core..." What could they do now ?"

"That doesn't matter. Remember who is leading our forces. Mark and Elsa themselves. I'm sure it'll be fine. Let's hope we're not needed." Marion said calmly, smiling behind her mask, and placing a reassuring hand on Serenity's shoulder. The screech of Ulnaus caught her attention, and she turned to look. Ulnaus, circling over the Northern part of the District, where Elsa was. The Screech of another bird also caught her attention, Fang, circling overhead Mark's position in the southern section of the District.

"That must be where the fighting is taking place." She said calmly. She paused for a moment before turning to her crew. "Load all Canons. Load the side facing Arko with Grape Shot, load the side facing Weselton with the heaviest things we got onboard." she said. The whole crew paused, staring at her. "You heard me, did you not? Precaution! Grapeshot only hurts people, the district was evacuated a long time ago, the only thing you can kill now are Templars! Get it done!" She reassured the crew, who nodded, and got to work.

The sentry observing the Weselton ship remained at his post as the orders were set to the letter. The grapshot was loaded, the only things they could kill were Templars, that was good, the bad thing was however the sentry observing the Weselton ship saw movement... lots of it. "Masters. Weselton ship is offloading troops and lots of them!" The sentry pointed, Serenity psotted the ships docked at one opf the nearby peirs, they had been so focused on their duties had it not been for the sentry observing the Weselton ship they'd have missed it entirely!

Casting a glance towards Diana, the captain simply nodded. Serenity smirked, "Bow canons, destroy the Weselton landing craft! Ensure they cannot leave that district!" She barked out. Six canons rang clear, reducing the landing craft of the Weselton ships to splintered wood and steel. A dozen dead Templars laid where they stood guard over the ships.

One target down.

 _ **On the Dukes ship**_

Of course it made the Duke only slightly nervous...

He smirked however as the Wolf Queen spoke watching on the map "They took the bait" She said simply

"Yes, our men are safely within the district with Prince Hans now. There is no time to lose." A soldier stepped into the cabin "Signal Prince Hans, he may begin the party. He gives no quarter."

"And us ?" Ingrid said

"Are your shields active ?"

"Against that kind of firepower ? Are you mad ?"

"No, thinking. Shield us long enough for us to get away should we have to run, and we will be fine"

"We wait for the Prince as planned"

"Without a landing craft he cannot reboard"

"I taught him a skill. He will transport to us should things go sour for him"

The Duke raised an eyebrow, The Necromancer had taught Prince Hans how to use the transportation Arrays ? This was interesting, hopefully things wouldnt go sour. But if they were attacked, then... well... they could easily get the fuck out of that harbor before getting blasted

 **In the Arko District, south subden**

 **At that same moment**

Mark paused, the whispers around him stopped as well, Kalda barked a single command in his mind. i"Make Ready."/i

"They're coming!" Mark called out to his men. The sounds of swords unsheathing and guns loading filled the southern section of the District. Mark himself did nothing, he'd use his claws for this wave; much faster than needing his sword. He looked to Asaca. "Do you sense anything?" He asked her quickly.

Asaca had stood stock still as the men around them got into postition. Her eyes scanning the heavens when out of nowhere a silver feather lodged itself directly before Mark. After which a hail of gunfire raned from nearby buildings in a deadly crossfire. If it wasnt for her fast thinking, and the advance warning from Fang far above, they'd have lost lives. But thankfully her sudden defense runes flared as bullets shattered in thin air. "Yes." She finally said after a brief lull in the gunfire.

Her look said it all as a single woman, a ghostly figure, appeared in a nearby alley... The fuck ? Where had Mark seen that same white creature before ? But this ghostly creature seemed to goad him into following her.

Of course it was Taris' Albino Shadowling. She didnt want to be bait herself, so she crafted a Albino Shadowling, a ghost so to speak, to bait the bodyguard into the alley. Nasty had thought it up...

"Lure him into the alley, I dont care how, dance naked to draw him in if you have to. I dont care how. just draw him into the alley. I'll take it from there" Taris saw clearly at the time her sister wanted pure revenge on the man. So she nodded

Doing exactly as Nasty said to bait Mark into the alley, which was make the same ghost he'd destroyed before in his own bedroom three years before...

And strangely enough, it worked, with Asaca distracted now suddenly by a massive creature of black smokey broken armor that tackled her from a shadow, the Shadow Minotoaur slammed into the purple scaled woman with all the love of a cement truck without brakes as all hell broke lose within the south subden location. Nasty smiled from her hiding place, this was working better than hoped! But the day was just getting on. It was time for sheer hell!

 **Arendelle**

 **Arko District**

 **North Subden**

 **At that same moment**

Two sets of Coal red eyes opened in the alleyway overlooking Elsa as she commanded the Assassins, those two red eyes narrowed a bit as well as they saw her fighting so...effortlessly. "Use the Legion to surround her with fighting, then we attack." Jr. suggested. Sutri was silent for a few seconds.

"Use the Legion to push her to us, where we are strongest...then attack." she suggested. Jr. nodded, and snapped his fingers. From across the street, nimble creatures made of pure shadow launched themselves into the fray, attacking both Assassin and Templar alike at first, before simply focusing on Assassins. Four large Creatures with tall, Roman-Like shields approached Elsa, pushing her back towards the alley way where Sutri and Jr. Waited for her, Jr with his sword drawn, Sutri with her magic at the ready.

Elsa had seen how others directed den defenses. and so she learned from that example. In so far of troop placement and barricades. Sadly certain barricades only had so much strength and thankfully the Templars didnt have heavy artillery... yet. It got dirty very quickly however within moments after she arrived at the subden. Templars had set up barricades of their own and in some houses, which were empty of belongings or people, had been overrun with Templars and used as staging points for the fighting.

Gunfire rang out, her armor, ice in make yet designed almost identical to Marks own armor sparked as the bullet caroomed off and struck a pillar, chipping the stone, fragments flew everywhere. Elsa brought up a hand as more gunfire rang out, a shield of ice formed and caught most of the bullets aimed her way, a few bullets shattered the shield and broke through, but struck her armor. However one did strike her in the arm

Then it happened, a brief respit of about a moment or two. But it was all the Templars needed to press another round of attacks. Elsa looked up however as she heard cannonfire,. Quickly diving for cover as grapshot rained down upon the Templar horde she struck and parried with her twin swords of sheer ice. Steel met unearthly ice in a frantic dance of death before isomething/i pounced out of the shadows

Swinging her sword one way she struck down a shadow, then something with a massive tower shield sklammed into her; nearly sending her weapon from her hand as ice raked on the ink black smokey surface of the shield. Elsa turned and scampered up a set of steps, another smaller shadow thing tried to attack her, she slit through it, sending it in pieces to the grown below as another shadow thing with a tower sheild slammed into her. Hopping off the stairs she tackled a Templar and rolled into the alley

The same alley that certain shadowblack dragons waited within

As soon as Elsa was close enough, the two Shadowblacks charged forward, Sutri with her arms enveloped in Shadowfire, and Jr. with his sword eveloped in the same thing. The two roared in challenge of the queen, moving towards her in tandem, forcing her to focus on one, but not forget the other lest she be stabbed or clobbered. Jr's face shimmered, scales of minight black appearing on his skin as his sword aimed down towards Elsa's shoulder to slash across her body. Sutri's clothing, as usual, acted as a forward attack to try and trip up the Queen, leaving the shadowblack's legs mostly bare and a few Assassins and Templars dumbstruck before the fighting continued and Sutri aimed a solid punch to Elsa's kidney.

Elsa had seen it happen once or twice with Mark and Georgina, a swarm of Assassin's attacked the new arrivals to the fight with ferver and briefly, very ever so briefly, the Tempalrs at the south subden forgot who their enemies were and attackewd the shadows while ignoring the Assassins. Elsa had seen the move howefver that the two dragons were doing. As Jr's weapon aimed for her shoulder he brought her right hand up, ice sword ready to block the strike before pushing upwards and swan diving into a roll over Sutries trip attack.

Rolling to her feet Elsa drew her second ice sword from thin air and settled into a more... defendeable stance. Flicking her wrists she briefly moved her blades along her arms, the flat edges against her elbows as she settled into her stance. The twin sisters of Mark were good teachers, though Blackmane seemed more or less responsible for Elsas training in the last year or so since Elsa had gotten too good for the twins to spar with

Jr hopped over his sister, flipping while doing so, while Sutri continued after Elsa, her upper body now almost completely bare as she came with two slashes with shadow-fire infested Shadow from her arms like whips, and Jr went low with his sword, aiming another flurry of slashes to go across her chest and belly, using his single sword in both hands for maximum strength and speed.

Sutri would land on her brother's shoulders, bouncing off and over Elsa to draw a pair of daggers from the small of her back, aiming to stab Elsa in the back while she was at it.

Thankfully as Jrs sword came swinging in like a baseball player looking for a home run shot dead down the middle his blade met only air, then solid ice as Elsa brought her left arm up to block the wing dead as it came. Had she not made tyhe armor, shed have lost her arm, but the armor cracked, and held before reforming to smooth almost dragonscaled ice. Moving fast Elsa twisted her body as Sutri jumpped over her, dodging as her whips of shadows slung for her crazily before the shedragon jumped over her.

Elsas free arm, sword and all came up, and briefly she was locked between both dragons. She recognised one of them however, oddly so. Ice ringed eyes stared briefly at Sutri. Where had she seen that dragon before ? The style of fighting made her think back... the ambush! The weight of Jr pressed on her left arm as she held steady Sutri's twin daggers. Finally she spoke But then again did she ? "You!" With newfound strength Elsa pushed back against Jr's blade. Forcing the young man towards a wall as her armor glittered.

But then again, Sutri could have sworn that Elsa only stared at her. Someone else entirely had spoken

Sutri smiled eventually, spinning, her whole body mostly bare to the world as a whirlwind of strikes tainted with Shadow and Shadowfire came hurtling towards Elsa in a almost unblockable flurry. "Hello there~! Miss me, sweetheart?" She taunted, Jr hurtling himself towards the Queen with his own flurry of shadowfire tainted strikes, as well as a stomping kick towards her knee.

Mark's words rang out in Elsa's head about fighting two opponents, as he had supervised a lot of the two on one matches not just for Elsa, but for all Assassins. i"Never catch yourself in the middle of two opponents who know what they're doing. Better yet, never get caught in general. If you have to, grab one and toss them to the side, that'll buy you a few extra seconds of one-on-one combat to finish off your attackers."/i that statement of course being followed by a demonstration by Mark to those he was training.

Elsa had magic on her side, but so did her enemies. She'd need to get creative with singling them out.

As Jr's foot connected Elsa didnt feel a thing, focused instead on Sutri she had forgone Jr, casting, without thinking it, her left sword and glove at the young man, it fought, on its own, thanks to someone else entirely. Kinda hard not to see the person or fight against a person when all there is is the persons sword fighting you on its own. Which in a way was creepy.

Elsa surged forwards at Sutri, a third sword appearing in her free hand as ice reformed into the armored glove. "Rematch time!" Someone shrieked as Shadows and ice locked as Elsas swords formed a solid defense and Sutri's own unblockable flurried barely dodged before Elsa managed to get the upper hand, barely, by tripping Sutri, from above.

Quickly blocking a strike Elsa ran for a wall, went up two steps before hopping a railing, cut down a shadow then used the shadow to trip up Sutri befoer going at Jr as he managed to get the sword knocked away before it whacked him back, on the flat side no less, dead on the ass with a rather hilarious SMACK

The fighting stalled as the pair of Shadowblacks stood together, Jr growled, one hand holding his sword while the other smacked his ass where the sword had smacked him. He snarled. i"She's not fighting alone."/i he growed in draconian to his sister. i"Something is controlling that sword...I smell it."/i

 _"Well then how about we switch it up?"_

 _"With your fighting style? You'll end up like our sister; with a badly done boob-job."_

 _"Can it, brat. You're just lucky you didn't have to watch Father put her back together."_

The two lowered their stances and narrowed their eyes, charging at the same time once more.

 **Arendelle**

 **Arko District**

 **South Subden**

 **At that same moment**

Mark pulled the trigger of his gun when he spotted that strange white ghost, but upon missing he narrowed his eyes, and followed it, firing a few more rounds as he did; obvlivious to the world around him. He had sheathed his sword before, and as he walked towards the alley the Shadow was leading him to, he narrowed his eyes. Blinking his eyes blazed Bronze and he lowered into a stance, slowly walking as he holstered his fun and drew his sword. There was something in that Alleyway, and he didn't like it. He stopped at the edge, and lowered into his signature stance a low hiss coming from his throat, from Kalda as he stared into the darkness.

The white ghostlike Shadowling continued walking into the alley, but when mark stopped it turned around seemingly to face him, clearly wondering why he wasnt following. It walked again, backwards before fading out of view as a set of pink orbs ringed in blood red almost like smoke suddenly stared directly at him.

Taris hated being the bait herself, but the plan was to draw Mark, the bodyguard as they knew him, into the alley, Nasty was going to take it from there and alsl Taris was to do was ensure the Legion kept the assassins busy in the main battle areas once Nasty began fighting the bodyguard. But first Taris had to lure the man in...

The red ringed pink orbs 'blinked' a voice travled on the shadows of the alley. "iWhat are you waiting for ?/i" It was almost a child like voice, almost as if goading Kalda, and Mark alike, to get closer, Taris knew how to be seduceitve, since she had made Zendum, her sisters had become somewhat more respective towards her and Sutri even offered to teach her some tricks of seduction, then again the fact her fathers massive personal Kobold that Taris as a baby had affectionately named Fluffy was there to ensure that neither twin would harm either of the two younger siblings it was actually Sutris idea. Taris magic and sdhadows werent as strong, but like their mother, Taris could plan, and if needed, seduce her targets

Mark was one such target. But, would even Kalda fall for it ? Seeing, briefly, an image of Xeir in the alley, beaten and left for dead might do it for sure. Somehow the shadows deduced that...

Mark blinked at the image of Xeir beaten appeared before him. Kalda took over briefly i"Xeir!"/i he cried out before moving towards her cautious but still quick, his sword lowering and his eyes narrowing, the brown, silver-ringed eyes shifting slightly as the iris became vertical, similar to the Dragons that were around him. He huffed, it smelled in this alleyway.

It smelled like death.

Mark's boot stopped a foot away from the image of Kalda's wife, and he looked around. This was off, she would have reacted, even a little if she were here. Loosening his wrist he spun it slowly, and while Mark did so, Kalda kept his eyes firmly on the woman's body before him. His hand tightened into a fist and he began to kneel to further inspect the image before him.

It proved to be his undoing. Keeping focused soley on the image that their dear old dad had proviced by way of his stories as infants of how he'd fought, but lost, and how Xeir, his mortasl enemy had been left wounded on a rock before he himself was bested, but he never said WHO had bested him. The kids never asked, thinknig that it was a good story, actions always had concequences. Their father both won and lost and somehow walked away with his life... mostly

 **WHAM!**

Something _heavy_ slammed into Mark with all the love, and weight of a minivan without brakes. The red ringed pink orbs disappeared from sight and sound as too did the image of Xeir as a growling voice was heard in Marks ear as his face was close to the ground "I never forgot the injury you gave me... Silver... I intend to give back twice as much to you!"

Ah yes, the sound of sweet revenge was strong in the Shadowblacks voice. She let mark get up. She had rules when it came to fighting others, in this case, no weapons. Mark could see clearly she had no blades of any kind on her person as inkblack shadows shimmered across her body leaving a brief trail of even darker black scales, like a dragon.

Nasty settled into her favorite stance, Eagle, with a personal flair of matis added in for some reason. Scales glittered in the light of the morning sunlight.. She motioned with a hand "Come hither" A very wicked smile on her face.

Mark and Kalda snarled together at the voice, ignoring the fact that they were just slammed into, the armor taking the brunt of the hit. "You will try, child." they growled together, Mark's voice being the dominant of the two. He slowly stood, claws scraping the ground, sparking as he turned into a Tiger-Style Stance, though with an added TaeKwonDo flair to it with his legs, being close together with the heel lifted off the ground slightly. Mark took in a deep breath and closed his eyes and when they opened, he moved. For a man of his size and weight he moved shockingly fast, the muscle beneath his armor and cloak strong and ready for combat.

He jumped while spinning, extending his right leg into a devastating opening Tornado Kick aimed for the neck of the Shadowblack before him.

Nasty didnt even flinch. Bringing up her fist she caught Marks kick and flipped him backwards before jumping at him, aiming her jackhammer him down to the pavement. While out from behind him another shadow perched, and slammed into Mark dead on. Crashing into his armor and pretty much pulling him downbards allowing Nasty to slam downwards, and miss entirely, her shadows and scales digging into the rock, shards of stone flew everywhere from the impact

Mark had brought up his arms to block Nasty's downward strike, but didn't expect the second version of Nasty to tackle him. Stopping himself with his legs, he spun and slammed an elbow into her jaw, before doing it again on the other side, and then the other, and the other, and he repeated this four times before spinning and slashing across with his claws towards her throat, aiming to end it quick and not let it drag out like last time. Moving on, he moved towards the other Nasty, aiming a quick side-kick to her gut before following it up with a hook kick to the face which would cause him to land with his leg back, and then allow him to aim an upwards strike to grab her face with his claws, and dig them into her cheeks.

The double faded into shadows and smoke as seven hits to the jaw sent one shadow double to the ground, dead, another however snaked out a hand as Mark aimed to rake the true nasty's cheek. She already had a mess of scars that occasionally bleed shadowy ink black blood. Black runes of strange make span briefly around Marks wrist mere inches from Nastys face as another double of nasty stood there, which was in fact the true Nasty. The double Mark was about to kick struck fast, but Marks movement was too fast and another double bit the dust.

Nasty briefly danced out of reach and caused a thick black fog to fill the alley around Mark. "And you call yourself a fighter..." Nastys voice rang out calmly. Four shadow tendriles snaked out of the walls, two on each side, darting for Mark This of course was round one. The tendrils to distract, while Nasty went for the big game!

"Speak for yourself, coward." Mark growled before slamming his claws to the ground, intensifying the Gravity and smashing everything around him with its own weight before he rolled backwards and drew his Pistol, firing the remaining four shots at random spots into the shadow, the Anti-Magic rounds glowing and lighting up the darkness.

He dropped the magazine and loaded another in the blink of an eye, holstering the weapon before his eyes flashed again and he stopped moving all together, one knee up while he assumed a more Crane-like Stance, his hands still open for Tiger Style. He closed his eyes, and waited.

Behind him a seductive voice spoke "Only a coward uses a gun..." Nasty whispered from the shadows as at once four of her came from four different directions. Above, below and both sides. Four Nastys. Each one aiming for something, a limb, But the ink black shadows sealed the alleyway mouth, there was no way through.

Out of the inkblack shadow came something else entirely... Shadowfire. the size of the atomic fireball candies pelted the stonework ground around him, even chipping the building wall to his left as the facade crumbled under its own weight. The inkblack shadow seemed to be shrinking on itself ?

Suddenly out of it came a gout of the shadowfire, it blasted into everything, ate it up and burnt dark death in its path. It missed mark, then again Nasty never was a good shot to begin with. and slammed into one of the doubles, of course it didnt harm it uother then turn it into a bony shadowy skeletan creature before even those broke apart

" _I'm going to give you as much power as you need...don't waste it...you have my memories now. Use them._ " Kalda's voice rang out in Mark's mind. It was time to fight Dirty.

Mark opened his eyes, and with Kalda guiding him clapped his hands together while slamming himself into a Horse-Stance. The Bronze glow of his eyes switched to white, and Mark spread his arms out. And a torrent of Lightfire blazed in front of him to block the Shadowfire, when it missed, Mark kept his arms spread, switching from horizontal to vertical and then clapping them together again, bringing them to his chest.

Suddenly Mark's entire body was covered in Light Fire, blazing away yet not burning as he spun once more and caught two Doubles with his hands, the one from above with his forehead in a jump, and completely missed the two going for his legs. He squeezed his hand until a fist was made on the two doubles he'd caught, not caring where he'd grabbed them, before dropping them. He reached up and slammed one hand into the above Double's stomach, fingers penetrating her flesh and Gravity holding him in the air before he slammed her downwards while returning gravity to its normal state, slamming down on three of the doubles, which immediately caught on fire, their bodies alight to combat the darkness.

Mark spun once more into a Horse Stance, the flames going out, and he let out a deep breath. "More." he called out. "Give me more!" He challenged, his voice closer to Kalda's than anything now as he stood tall and gripped his hands into fists. His armor was glowing brightly now, allowing him to see clearly everything around him.

"More you ask for..." Came Nasty's voice as tghe Shadows dispelled, in her place stood a semitruck sized inkblack and dripping with shadows dragon. purple eyes ringed in black shadows seemed to have mirth to them. "Amazing... But that wont save you!" Nasty opened her massive maw and spat a gout of Shadowfire at Mark. about as round as a round bale of hay, and six times as long and seemingly never ending in a torrent of black air

Finally the Shadows stopped as Nasty smirked again. Gravity mark could only change within his line of sight, or just within his reach or just out of it. So. Nasty brought up a massive paw, flicking her claws at Mark as if flicking away a intrusive bug she said simply "Bye bye ya little wannabe plastic surgeon!" Rocksolid muscle, and a man sizes claw slammed into Mark, hard and fast, flicking at him, backwards. Surely that much power the man used to make the Pheonix cloak could tire him out faster than hoped

Of course Mark went flying backwards into the building like a bullet fired from a gun, through the wall and into the street. Well, that was that... wait... Oh fuck. Didnt she just get rid of him ?

Using a singular jet of concentrated Ice-Fire, he dissipated the torrent of Shadowfire, however as he was flicked across the alleyway, he smirked, a Transport array appearing on the wall behind him. Vanishing through it, he appeared from the wall above Nasty without her knowing. Suddenly the Gravity around her slammed her into the ground, and Mark onto her back, a rib or two cracking actually proving to be more or less refreshing than painful. For now.

"You're right I was an amateur, but now...I've got my Scalpel." He said, drawing his sword and grabbing a wing, claws digging into the scales while Light Fire coursed down his Sword, and he moved to cripple her wings with a swift cut to the area where it meets her back, turning to slash at the other wing as well. He then raised his sword, and held it in both hands as it flipped downwards, ready to stab down into her spine itself.

"Clear!"

Down his sword fell, pushed by his strong arms, and the heightened gravity. until it stopped, just above her scales, the fire snuffing itself out. " _No...this isn't right._ " Kalda said.

"Need I remind you she's here to kill us?"

 _"Well she can't very well do that now, can she? Look at her, you've literally clipped her wings almost entirely off. She's done!"_

"So I finish the job and put her out of her misery!"

 _"And incur the wrath of her entire family!? Think boy! You can't fight all of them! They're too strong even for **me** "_

 **CRACK... _TWANG_... THUNK... WHAM!**

A bullet slammed into the sword with such force it sent it from Marks hand as Nasty waited the killing blow, already dreading becoming part of her fathers own army and the severe punshiment for the loss. Nasty had closed her eyes, as the pain slammed into her from her wings being torn into by Mark.

But as she waited four things happened, Four things, and the first was intense pain as gravity suddenly let up.

She heard a crack. The sound a sniper rifle made. The kind of crack that made one hope they made peace with their maker before waking up dead.

Nasty also heard a twang, as if a sword had been sent flying, which it had, it landed in the stone pament a foot from her right eye, she stared at the blade coated in her blood. The sword landing in the stonework was the thunk

The fourth thing however, was the sudden appearance of someone slamming into, and tackling Mark clean off of her back, her sister, the runt, coming to save her life. A minivan saving the life of a semitruck, which seemed odd for sure. Taris had seen the damage Mark did to Nasty, and instructed Zendu to oversee the battle whiel she tended to her sister.

Taris and Mark slammed into the alley pavement directly before Nasty as she slowly shifted back to her human form, her back and left arm pretty much through a meatgrinder as she laid on the pavement. Basil, one of her fathers higher ranking Kobolds arrived witrhin a few heartbeats as Taris pretty much jack hammered Mark into a wall, hammering his armor with scaled fists. Pure raw adrenaline fueled her movements, adrenaline at seeing what he did to her sister.

Kalda was right. Mark couldnt take on the whole family.

Taris shoved off of Mark then, diving for the sword lodged nearly to its hilt in the stone pavement she span around as she easily wrenched it from the rock, the blade swinging wide. She wanted to behead the man who tried to kill her sister. the man they were sent to defeat. She felt slight resistence, but it wasnt her desiered angle

Steel met flesh, of a face.

Mark grunted when he was tackled, and was powerless to stop the flurry of hard hitting strikes to his body from the Runt of the Nest. He attempted one counter strike, stepping forward and slashing, but the girl rolled away. He turned to face her and his eyes widened, and he froze in fear. Duradaeden met flesh, blood ran. Mark's face turned with the blade raking his right cheek, down across his lips, and barely missing a nerve in his jaw before stopping its cut and finishing the swing. The Alley was eerily quiet as blood dripped down Mark's face to his chin, dripping onto the ground with a soft iplit/i.

Mark was quiet still before a low, feline rumble of a growl came from his throat, resembling that of a Siberian Tiger. Slowly he turned towards Taris, yellow irises ringed in Silver with Reptilian Irises staring down at the youngest and smallest of the Shadowblacks as his teeth were bared.

Though steeped in rage, Mark was not careless. His sword vanished from her hand digitizing down to his own hand, where he sheathed it. Stepping forward with another Feline snarl he reached to grab her by the front of her Draconian Leather Corset with his left hand, aiming to lift her up and slam his right elbow across her face.

He was strong sure, but the girl, nah the young woman he held by the corset was stronger than even a Tigris, Eagle, Human and Dragon combined! With a sudden CRACK his shoulder was disloacted as she twisted her body, all but wrenching his arm from its socket, if it werent for the armor she'd have wrenched the arm clean off. Turning hard and fast Taris lifted mark up and over her shoulder, once more against an alley wall.

Taris was in a rage just like he was, only she was intent on saving her sister. She then started hamemring into his stomach and sides, unbelivably fast. A blur of movement Taris was as she hammered into Mark, pounding him merceilessly. He'd feel it come morning for sure, but the armor took the most of it...

After five minutes of relentless hammering a voice, a voice in sheer pain made her stop. " _Taris... he's beaten, like Father in his stories, we both won and lost, and still walk away"_ Nasty placed her good hand on her sisters shoulder. " _Can we go home ?_ " Nasty gave a dark look towards Mark who had a new cut across his face, and was spitting up a bit of blood from Taris' hammering him

Mark glared at the two of them as they vanished into the darkness, spitting a good amount of blood at the shadow they vanished into before falling to his knees, and beginning to wretch, eventually a large mouthful of blood splattered on the ground, and he sighed. He grabbed his bad arm, and took in a sharp breath, lifting it and twisting hard, the thing popping back into his socket with a sickening crunch. He let out a sharp growl and coughed up another mouthful of blood, spitting it off to the side before standing, and walking out of the alleyway to see his barricades, and the subden destroyed. His eye twitched. He opened up communications. "Any Surviving Assassins of the South Den...retreat to the main den. Man the Barricades...I hate to say it but take the ammo off of our fallen, get the injured to another district and out of the fight...I'll meet you at the main Den..." he said a transport array appearing before him, flashing bright bronze when he stepped through it, leaving it open for Asaca, as he sensed she was nearby.

"As if you'll leave without me... iKaal/i" Came a known voice, a blooded, very human looking hand and arm poked up from under a dead minotaur before reforming into dragon claws and stabbing the thing briefly allowing Asaca to stand up, her hand reformning into a human appearance. her clothing was torn, but she was otherwise in good shape. She felt no deaths, only injuries on the Assassin's side of things. She tutned briefly toewards the north subden building, only to see the last two supports crumble and the building fall apart. Well, at least they didnt lose any lives in that fight


	43. Seqeunce 10 Memory 3

**_Jellicle's Creed_**

 ** _Frozen Memories_**

 ** _Seqeunce 10_**

 ** _Memory 3 ... When they Missed Your Heart ?_**

 **28 May 2055**

 **Arendelle**

 **Arko District Main Den**

 **A few moments later**

" _Heros start with a good beginning, but they never get a happy ending_ "

 **-Lady Hawkthorne**

As Mark arrived at the Main den he saw a large zone set aside, a dozen or so women in various shadows of white were tending to the wounded. One of which however stood out to Mark, or rather Kalda right off just by looking at her. The style of her outfit screamed a commanding officer, the colors screamed Dove Healer, and yet the crown upon her head screamed royalty somehow. Her long dark graygreen hair was pulled by the wind yet in each stop at the sides of the injured and dying she either eased their passing pain free without hurt, or healed them back onto their feet as if nothing had happened to them.

However the graypurple eyes locked on Mark, and also Asaca as the two appeared at the den, with them there the South Subden had been lost completely, but Marks armor, even though made of iDuradaeden/i had been dented by sheer rage of a Shadowblack Runt. Mark himself was leaning on Asaca by then spitting up blood by the mouthful every few seconds while Asaca had scales missing from her face and neck. Giving a gentle pat on the injured Assassin's shoulder Kuru stood from the injured recovery zone and walked towards the purple scaled woman.

"Champions returned..." Kuru said simply, she recognised both as Asaca, and briefly, Kalda. Kuru then looked both people over carefully as Marks armor faded away leaving behind a broken man pretty much who if it werent for Asaca to lean on would have fallen flat on his face. Then, completely deadpan, Kuru simply stated "You look terrible. What'd you two do this time ? Dance in hell ?"

Mark managed a soft chuckle at that, looking up to the dove with deadpan, fading, glossy eyes of a man about to pass out from the internal bleeding. "Something like that." he replied softly. He managed a breath before straightening his back slightly, a sickening crack of a few broken ribs ringing out as they shifted around. "Can you fix me?...us?" he looked up at her. As he was, his voice and Kalda's voice were indistinguishable. "We're far from done...it's my duty to lead them in the defense..." His eyes rolled back a bit before he blinked and his head flopped forward, coughing up another mouthfull of blood before taking another breath. His fingers dug into Asaca's clothes as they balled up into a fist, the pain was unbearable; how he was standing, even with her help, was beyond him.

 _Crack..._ Came the sound of magic going to work, powerful healing magic. A Practised Dove was Kuru. Who had been both Asaca and Kaldas medical officer for nearly a hundred years when Kalda met his untimly end. The crack was simply the healing magic slamming dead into Marks chest, either breaking more bones, or instantly repairing bones covering his heart. As her magic begain healing Mark, Kuru started counting the injuries the man had taken. Reaching into his shoulder, as if phasing her hand into the guy through her magic, she removed a pellet no larger than a bullet. Noticably his arm felt _much_ better with the shadowfire bullet taken out

"The hell did you play with ?" Kuru asked while charging the magic she'd launched into Marks chest, spreading the magical healing power further through his system, getting first to his heart, then the bloodflow moving the healing power through his system. "Never in my ages have I seen such dark power,..." The shadowfire bullet broke apart and faded away to nothing as Kuru focused on healing marks ruptured internal organs such as his liver, lungs, and sternum as well as both kidneys; his appendix was well past gone to begin with thanks to Taris' repeated hammering. "Mortal forged armor wont even stop shadowfire..." Kuru muttered.

A few moments passed and Mark could stand on his own, Kuru crafted a bandage of a sort, it looked more or less like a turban on Marks head as she turned to attend to Asaca, the purple scaled woman had deep cuts on her face where scales had been ripped loose. It was then Mark noticed too the blood on her crown. Four doubled bladed daggers she used in combat, when it came to it. And the blood from certain enemies was on them, and then her crown was her daggers.

Mark was silent while Kalda told him how to answer that next question. "Shadowblacks... two Shadowblack Adolescents..." he winced as he saw the shadowfire bullet. How the hell did it get past his armor? Then she said that Mortal Forged Armor wouldn't cut it. Then again, it was his right shoulder that was hit... his left one, the old gauntlet covered up to his shoulder, ending with a pauldron of sorts. The new one did the same, but since he forged it, and not... whoever forged the gauntlet first for Second Wolfe, the Clan Founder,and Co-founder of Arendelle. Once he could stand Mark narrowed his eyes, looking at the bloodied daggers forming a crown. He tilted his head gently and moved to raise the spirits of those there, his presence helping raise morale of the men and women there. Some more than others, but anything was good.

As Mark focused on the bloodstained dark graybluish crown in Kuru's hair a brief vision replay formed before his eyes. Three men, all outlined in red, tried to ambush and kill the injured, a good doewnze or so men and women being tended to by Dove Healers. Two of the Doves were wounded before Kuru and another Dove stepped in. the second Dove Mark recognised almost instantly as the one that gave him Kaldas journal. Seeing Kuru in combat Kalda had seen before many times, but seeing Wezaki in combat was something else entirely

Easily grabbing one of the attackers, Wezaki first smashed his nose all over his face by ramming her head against his face. Then using her magic, healed it, then smashed it with her fist. Then she rendered the man an It with a nicely placed shot to the nethers before simply tapping the guy in the forehead. For a second the man stood there staring at her, then all of a sudden grabbed his head screaming in pain before falling over dead as Kuru slid away her daggers back into her hair, reforming her crown

The vision faded, the men and women seeing Mark there, of those that could stand got up from their cots, giving their leader the signature salute with a slight bow. No sign of Elsa among them. Which meant she was still fighting... somewhere

Mark returned the Salute, and smiled, bidding them to sit back down and relax for a while. He moved among them, humming to himself softly as he looked around for Elsa, but upon not finding her, he stopped his humming, walking outisde and taking in the fresh-ish air. Something was... off.

 _Thump_ Went a dead body as Wezaki finished dragging the three Templars to a wagon, tossing first one, then another, then finally the third onto the thing. She turned dusting off her hands, and spotted mark, watching her. Or... no he was looking her way, but seemed as if zoned out. She looked around, something felt... wrong. A hand strayed to her hair, easily withdrawing one of the two 'twigs' in her hair it reformed as if by magic into a ebony hilted dagger of white steel.

She held a hand up to Mark as if motioning him to follow as she went to the corner of the Den and poked the dagger around the corner. Her eyes went wide at what she saw in the makeshift mirror. She quickly pulled it back, by then Mark was next to her as she turned her head his way. "Eight dozen men, all bearing the Templar Cross. They're ducking into buildings along both sides of the street from the southern path" She reported. Hans was using the devide attack to get his men along the north and south roads to launch his attack

Mark blinked slowly at this news. "Fuck."

Then, even though he wasn't really in any condition to do so, he bolted down the road without thinking. He drew his Desert Eagle, and managed to summon his left Hand Gauntlet, the rest of his armor digitizing into existance before fizzling out like a dead fire. He cursed again and slammed into a building, a dozen Templars surrounded him immediately. Eight Shots went off, eight bodies dropped and so did the dresser on the other side of the room. Claw marks raked across the other four.

"Next buil-" Mark was tackled back out onto the street, and once more a rib broke in his body. Turning, he forced the blaringly hot barrel of his Desert Eagle into the throat of the man who tackled him, the skin blistering and popping immediately. Mark's left hand moved swiftly and the hidden blade lodged itself in the man's skull while Mark pushed him off. Standing slowly, Mark gritted his teeth and dropped the empty magazine. Quickly feeling around his clothes, he realized that it was his last one.

"Double fuck..." he cursed, holstering the gun and managing to summon forth his sword, drawing it and moving towards the next building.

 **Arendelle**

 **Arko District North Subden**

 **At that same moment**

It was a standoff, there was a strange chittering noise from the floating sword held apparently by a handless glove, then there was Elsa, with twin swords of ice ready for use. Who was then confused because of how the two were acting, who was to face her, and who was to go... wait was that her other sword ? It didnt make sense. How did she lose it ? But since Elsa couldnt understand a word the two Shadowy people where saying Elsa took that moment to take a healthy step backwards.

" _Trust me, with your fighting skill you'll end up like Nasty_ " Jr said, Sutri stared at him " _If you're trying to get me to see around this in your point of view, dont think about it because I'm not gonna stick around when dear old Dad shows up because you fucked this up by not focusing on the queen!_ "

Sutri was about to sock her own brother, and she would have it if it wasnt for the truth of his words. But she still grabbed her brother, leaning close to his ear she said softly. " _Who will tell father we fucked this up ? You or me ? Do me a favor and be happy you're not with Nasty right now, the Bodyguard is the least of our worries from what it feels like"_

When his sister grabbed him by the shirt she pretty much stuffed his mouth with her hair. causing him to mutter something " _Holy fuck sis, dont you shower ?!_ "

" _What was that ?"_

" _Nothing! I'll ta... hey where'd the fuckin' sword go... ?_ " In the middle of their arguing the sword had somehow disappeared, a pile of broken ice laid in the alley a foot from Jr's left ankle. a soft yet clearly heard chittering laughter was heard from the pile of ice.

Sutri recognised it on the spot for the color of the ice pile _"Shit... We both focus on the queen, keep away from that! Neither of us will harm it"_ She said, all but wrenching her brother off his feet and swinging him away from the pile of ice that ended up somehow reforming into a weird five meter long serpentine critter. an Icewraith, which, at that moment, for the first time even Elsa simply stood and stared as the critter chittered something and darted off.

"Now!" Jr. growled, and the two of them charged Elsa once more, Sutri with two stabs from each of her daggers, and Jr with a horizontal slash across Elsa's belly, their rage and magic fueling their movements to well beyond what Elsa would normally be equipped to handle even with her training from Mark and from Mark's own sisters, however what these two didnt know was that Elsa had more than just some pretty Ice Swords up her sleeves.

Elsa was hard pressed to keep up with theri speed, two on one never was easy. She had to adapt. But how could she adapt properly and still keep things on an even footing ? Flicking up a foot she kicked Jr away as she blocked with her ice armor a strike or two from Sutri before her sword hilts meshed together, using both as a single pole weapon for the first time in combat Elsa blocked and parried with both Shadowblacks skillfully even as they backed her into a narrower alley

The last three years she had experimented, it was time to see if those experiments could be used in combat. With her ice she used her magic to fling open a wide door behind her and lead the two attacks into it. For a few moments as she backtracked she fought against Sutri, The doublebladed ice sword rang with each defelcted or made strike, parts of the building froze on contact or chipped apart upon being tucched leaving shards of glowing ice where the blades caught stone or wood

Sutri continued her attack, growing more more desperate to finally hit Elsa, thus leaving numerous openings in her guard. Upon seeing this, Jr rolled his eyes and moved behind Elsa, aiming to attack her from there and force her attention to split once more. Each Shadow Dragon unleashed a flurry of strikes, with Jr. drawing out a dagger to compliment his sword in combat. Sweat beaded down the foreheads of both dragons, and they began to breathe heavier. It seemed that they were getting tired, while Elsa showed no such fatigue as of yet.

Unlike the two Shadowblacks, Elsa showed no signs of slowing down, the Arko District buildings were a maze of connected buildings, mostly living areas or massive commons rooms built into each first level of multiple levels. Elsa used what training she had over the last three years to push off from the floor just as Jr was about to strike at her from behind to get up onto the second floor which looked down over the first level below.

It was to be expected of such movements however as both of them jumped up onto either side of her, Elsa brought her ice swords up to catch both of Sutris and that of Jr's blades into a solid lock, the ice glowed with a strange magical etheral light as their faces were illumniated by the blades.

 **Arendelle**

 **Harbor**

 **Aboard the Whitesparrow**

"That doesnt look good" Serenity said seeing both birds swirling over two major areas, one moved too quickly from one area to join in somewhere else when another went to the main den. It wasnt easy to tell Ulnaus apart from Princess Fang only that one bird was larger, much larger than Ulnaus. As she spoke Marion stood next to her with the spyglass.

"Damn..." Was all she said

"Its that bad ?" Serenity asked

"See for yourself" Marion handed the Tigris the spyglass, Serenity looked thtrough it, seeing the massive silver eagle diving and taking off again.

"Parrot shit it's a trick!" Serenity hissed as Marion went back to the helm to angle the ship towards the district. with the quad cannons on the prow. Seeing what Marion was doing, the Tigris stared at her, "Are you nuts ?"

"Mark is in the main district, the south subden is overrun, the eagle isnt circling there anymore. We have to help Mark!" Marion all but screamed. "Ready on the prow!" Serenity turned towards the district. hoping her brother was safe, they were just about to bring the rain. She got onto her radio " _Mark listen and listen close, if you get this at least, Keep your head down. We're bringing the rain!_ "

" _What ?_ " Came her brothers confused voice, it sounded like he was in a fight

 _"Trust me!"_ Serenity said, she then thought a second wondering what her brother meant by double fuck _"Mark... what does double fuck mean ?"_ He never got to answer, either that or Serentiy never heard it as Marion shouted the order and the ship rang with cannon fire

 **Arendelle**

 **Arko District**

 **Main Den outskirts**

 **At that same moment**

Whether by choice or by fate he didn't know, but Mark's knee gave out at the exact momen the cannons fired, and the cannon balls screamed over his head by inches. Some slammed into the building he was about to enter, and the thing collapsed around the heads of the Templars inside. Well, that handles that problem. Gritting his teeth, Mark rolled over to an alley way and grunted.

 _"Grape shot you fools! You could have taken my head off!"_ Mark growled. _"Or at the very least Fire-Shot, we can always rebuild what we deny the Templars to have!"_ He added before standing with a grunt. He looked with his Eagle Vision, and saw that there were many more Templars left inside the buildings, moving through them like rats in the sewers. "Damn..."

He opened up communications with Elsa, having given her at least a receiving end to his knowledge, and spoke. _"Elsa you've got Templars incoming in the buildings around you and the WhiteSparrow just opened fire on the district to try and hold them back. I need you to get out of there before they open a crossfire so deadly that even my armor wouldn't help!"_ he called out.

 _"I told you to keep your head down!"_ Came his sisters voice in their childhood dialect. It was possibly the only way to let him know what was going on as hail rained down in the form of grapeshot filling the sky with solfur and smoke in the streets

Wezaki came barreling into Mark, tackling him off his feet at that moment, two bullets slammed into the pavement he stood on sending shards everywhere as Wexzaki's healing power went to work on the newly broken knee. "You crazy fool! If Kuru hears about this the shit's gonna hiti the fan!" As she spoke Mark could quite literally see a murledeer kick shit in a Templars face not far away, some of it spreading in the room thanks to the fan set in the ceiling to be on.

"Come on! Lets get you out of here!" Wezaki screamed into Marks face as hell rained around them. Grabbing him by the hand she pulled him to his feet and through a undamaged hallway. However they stopped a dozen paces into the building and looked up, a dozen m,emn stood overhead. Wezaki held up a hand "Stay here. I wont be long" She had something of a _very_ sadistic smile on her face as she shifted into a opened stairway so quictly that mark saw her walking and could have sworn she was floating up the stairs.

Two seconds later and screams rang out as her magic went to work, pain inducing part of healing magic was both helpful and in a word, painful as fuck. One... Two... Three.. Mark counted up to twelve before Wezaki came back to him. dusting off her hands, "That's that, come on!" Once more she led Mark back to Kuru who sdidnt ask questions to the blood that splattered on Wezakis wghite and silver dress and robes

However Kuru did smirk "Maybe I should have knocked out your legs..." She said as Asaca rolled her eyes, canonfire rang overhead causing them all to duck "Ok so, its either the forth of some month celebration, or someone"s taking potshots at the place..." Kuru mused.

"I'd say a mixture of both." Asaca said, then she saw the worry evident on Marks face, "Where's Elsa ?"

"Still at the other subden." He answered Asaca, ignoring Kuru's musing to take out his legs. He sat and groaned, annoyed. "We need everyone here, she's about to be surrounded..." he said, the cannons of the White Sparrow going off once more. He moved to his radio and cleared his throat.

 _"If you can see what's left of the South Subden, I want full broadsides at any Concentration of Templars you see. bfull/b broadsides. Grape shot. Hell, flaming Grape shot if possible. Hold them back as long as possible."_ he spoke to his sister in that weird dialect of theirs.

" _You **do** know the whole south half of the district is painted over in red right ?_ " Came his sisters voice in the strange dialect nobody else could ever hope to understand. The mapping 'software' the Whitesparrow had was amazing and rather accurate too in its full 3d hologramical design. Well that meant shell the place completely...

" _Then paint it crimson in blood._ " A heartbeat later and hell rained on the south subden of the Arko District as the whitesparrow turned her portside on the district and fired everything she had loaded at that moment. a 256 gun salute to those that had lost their lives in the fighting.

 **Arendelle**

 **Arko District**

 **North Subden outskirts**

 **At that same moment**

Four levels up, and still the rooftop to go. Elsa fought with everything she had, but was still learning rather well. Just starting to break a sweat as the three dueled skillfully, A mortal woman, or so it seemed, dueling with far more experied Shadowblacks who possibly had grown lax in their own training. Catching Jr's sword in her icy blade's grip she kicked at Sutri, sending the female Shadowblack sailing off the top level of the four floor building to slam into and roll off the second floor balcony overlooking the main floor where Sutri grabbed the edge and hung on, her daggers on the floor just out of her reach.

Elsa turned back to Jr, the two traded blows before jr broadshouldered her and smacked her dead in the face, her ice flowed where he'd struck, but his strength was fueled by his anger and shadows, sending Elsa down a level to slam into the floor on her back as Jr huffed and jumped after her. Elsa blocked his strike and brought up a foot, her toes kicking him dead in the nose and mouth. sending him reeling as she rolled to her feet. Still fighting with her swords as a single polearm weapon she lured Jr from his sister.

Jr struck at her relentlessly. Elsa easily blocked, defelcted and struck just as fiercely. Their swords rang and echoed in the empty building as the queen lead Jr deeper into the maze. leaving Sutri dangling two floors below. Elsa lead Jr, while still fighting him, towards a narrow hall. Jr, pure dark power fueling his movements, doggedly followed her. Elsa saw Sutri get up to their level. It was time to trigger the trap.

Sutri dangled for long moments on the second floor beam, her nails digging long black shadowy marks into the prestine yet aged wood. Finally she pulled herself onto the level with a burst of power and snatched up her daggers. Flicking one into the other into a more solid longer siletto Sutri jumped from the second floor up two more levels and started running, siletto drawn, towards her brother and the Queen.

Elsa lured Jr into the hallway, the two of them trading blows with eual strength, neither one backing down yet Elsa seemingly gave ground. Truth was she was thinknig of it all spur of the moment, having no real idea how to lose either twin in the fighting whatsoever. As they neared the end of the long hallway Elsa triggered the trap. Spikes of ice sprang behind her, then suddenly between her and jr, every five paces spikes sprang into fiew, powerful deadly ice forming impentrable walls a few inches thick

Sutri skid to a halt to avoid getting impaled but the ice went from thick unseenthrough wall to clear glass seconds later, and Sutri saw her brother pacing as Elsa stood back, then dropped to one knee, her eyes closed. Sutri lowered her selitto and waited. But how long was she to wait ?

 **Arendelle**

 **Harbor**

 **Aboard the Whitesparrow**

 **at that same moment**

Serenity hated having to relay her brothers direct orders to blast everything they had at Arko District, paint it red with their blood. Deny the templars what they cant win, they could always rebuild it. Lowering her radio she focused her own Vision, finding the darkest red. "Focus fire! fireshot alternated with grapeshot! Go!" She growled out. Marion stared at her, was she insane ?

Pulling Serentiy aside the much smaller Assassin hissed. "Are you insane ? The entire southern half of the district is crawling with Templars, our own men barely got out of there to Rough Water to set up a stand! And you want us to shell the place when Master Wolfe is in there ?!"

"Relax! Mark explicitly ordered the attack. Said to burn everything, we can always rebuild what we deny to the Templars." Serenity growled, pointing to the map "Look at the map! Whatever isnt red will son be so, We cut off the head now, we can end this and hopefully keep Elsa from being overrun much less the main den."

Marion thought a moment, finally she nodded "Fine. But if any of our men are hurt..." She let the thought hang, as much as Serenity hated it.

Serenity'd had enough by that point, she nodded. "If we do not do this. Then on your own head be it. I'm doing what my brother said." She told Marion, the smaller woman nodded her agreement. It wasnt Elsa's orders, but only Elsa or even Princess Anna could override Mark

Marion nodded and stepped from the alcove the two had briefly debated in calling out. "Very well. But we wont do it as a broadside, cant direct angles from there as easy... Prow Cannons! Reload! alternate barrels for fireshot and grapshot, Go!"

"Ma'am, unknown ship is moving, turning towards us!" Said a spotter

Serenity traded looks with Marion. Leaning close the young Tigris spoke to the young Dragon. "I'm going ashore to find my Mother, and then help my brother. You have the ship. I'll relay to Mark to give your orders in english..." she said, Marion nodded as Serenity got onto her radio to her brother, telling him to speak english before she handed the radio to Marion and disappeared into a transport array to her bedroom in the Marketplace Den

 **Arendelle**

 **Arko District**

 **North Subden**

 **At that same moment**

Elsa took a deep breath. her eyes were closed, she could feel jr only meters away pacing, his anger and hate fueling him as he seethed, Sutri too could see the shadows steaming off her brother qas he paced before Elsa, split off from the queen by the sheet of clear ice.

Then it happened, Sutri could feel it. So could Jr.

The ice behind Elsa cracked a web of cracks across the almost glasslike surface, shattering behind her as she sprang to her feet, her staff like sword a wirlwind of motion as the ice shattered between her and Jr, the two mortal enemies dueled in a small room with a empty broken staircase below. As soon as the ice shattered in front of Sutri and started running forwards. Slamming on the brakes to avoid the reconstructed ice from freezing her solid. She could only watch as Elsa and her brother fought skillfully.

Half of the room was simply dominated by the broken staircase. half rotted and mostly broken apart. Quite useful really. Sutri watched as her brother tried to make a mark on the Queen, yet Elsa was too skilled with the polearm. She hadn ever used it before and somehow found it more balanced than two swords swinging wildly to fight with, so she tired out slower.

 _Crack, clang, whack, crack._

Steel and ice rang in unearthly sounds as they clashed hard and fast. it was for a few moments, not easy for Sutri to keep up. She watched her brother backtrack, block, parry and strike at Elsa. Holding his guard well he tried to calculate Elsas movements, she struck, she blocked, he struck again, she blocked, and wrenched her weapon at his arms, pushing him back, his stance wide, defenseless. She smashed him in the face with her swordhilt between her hands with a solid WHACK before Jr had a look of complete and utter shock on his face. as Elsa turned away. her sword stabbing him directly above the heart.

Sutri screamed "ibNO!/b/i as she watched her brother sink to his knees, the color and life seemingly leaving his eyes as he rolled onto his back and laid still.

Elsa turned towards Sutri, one down, one to go.

Sutri glared daggers at the queen.

 **Arendelle**

 **Arko Main Den**

 **At that same moment**

Kuru saw the worry on Marks face when he got no reply from Elsa, "Relax will you, if I have to knock out your legs you'll still get there! You're in no shape to go up there! Stay put!" the Dove Colonel crowed at him. Mark was stubborn as a mule and harder headed than a Dallas Cowboys linebacker. And he was actually smarter than pretty much the entire hockey league! Which made him a very dangerous foe to the Templars. Kuru however could see clearly the look on Marks face, she nodded "Fine, Wezaki! Send a Sparrow to check the north Subden and find the queen. I want to know everything going on between us and the Queen, Get me names, given names, last names, confirmation names, faces, dna, bra sizes, shoe sizes, whatever you can get onto a crystal. Move it"

Wezaki nodded and darted off. quickly transforming into a large plain white dove and flew off. Moments later a flock of Sparrows took off with their orders as Wezaki returned. "I am not sure that will be enough, if the southern half of the district is entirely overrun, then what chance do we have against the Templars moving north ?" They all looked at Mark waiting for his answer.

"We need to Bolster defenses in the Center, I need every Assassin who can shoot a gun up and about, in good positions, magic barriers, a god damn asprine or five, a miracle, that dead guy's leg, and a couple million dollars." He said with a straight face. Smart and strong and stubborn, but also with a great poker face and a decent sense of humor it seemed.

He took out his pistol and dropped the empty mag. "Few extra magazines wouldn't hurt either...did I have some left in the main den?" he muttered to himself as he grumbled to himself.

Asaca nodded; time to get busy! She relayed Marks orders as he barked them out in rapidfire. Just like old times it seemed, Kuru however nodded at mention of the dead guys leg. Not that she wanted to know what he planned, most dragons ate whatever came into their lairs at the time. However Kuru, with a completely deadpan straight face simply replied to the leg mention "How do you want that leg ? Fried, baked or boiled ?"

Kuru smiled however at the reuqest of aspirine, the fuck was that stuff ? She flicked a ball of something like glass with a green pink hue, it slammed into Mark full force with all the love of a semitruck on crack. The headache and ringing in the ears faded almost instantly whiel the knee took a bit longer to heal. Within moments however Mark was back on his feet, pain free aside from a slight ringing in the ears as cannonfire rained down just outside the southern border of the Main Den

He waited for the pain to fade before answering the other question presented to him, standing and sighing. "Sauteed, actually, with some light pepper." he said, walking off to rally who he could into the defense.

Asaca heard the end of that conversation "I'm not gonna ask what he wants with that" the purple scaled woman said simply, Kuru however never stopped smiling, at least the templar was dead to begin with. Lightly sauteed, with a light smattering of pepper... Now she KNEW that certain dragons liked to eat Men, or Eagles, or whatever they could get their hands on. But somehow, lightly sauteed, with lightly peppered edges screamed "WEAPON" to Kuru. So she rolled with it.

A moment or so later and somebody screamed out "Delivery for Master Wolfe!" and dropped a lightly sauteed human leg with a light dusting of pepper on it with the foot nicely angled to act more like a handle. Gross, but useful. Though Kuru wondered briefly, why the pepper ?

 **Arendelle**

 **Arko District**

 **North Subden outskirts**

 **At that same moment**

Elsa had dropped to one knee again, her eyes closed as she took a breath, all this combat, all this fighting, it was taking its told on her already and she needed to stop it, but how ? These two dragons of dark power where in fact skilled enough to take her down had she not experimented with her swords into one polearm. She barely broke a sweat and wasnt even breathing that hard to begin with. She felt however that using a polearm was somewhat slower yet somehow she kept up with both shadowblack dragons skillfully, even bestinig one of them

When her brother fell, Sutri screamed out in anguish and rage, charging Elsa the first chance she got, her hands and magic working together to form an assault from almost all sides at once, leaving most of her body bare, the scales glimmering in the light from the damp sweat attained from using a human form. Left, right, down, up, straight, down, right, left... There was no pattern to her strikes now, just pure rage, but that rage made her defense her offence: Non-stop Attack. With another snarling scream she brought down both daggers as hard as her human body enhanced with Draconian Magic would allow.

 _Crack_

The sheer power in Sutris attack broke Elsas weapon in half, one hilt shorter than the other. Briefly, for a scant second or two Elsa simply stared in shock, what the, how ? Quickly as it came Elsa flung aside the broken sword and fought with just one blade. She was hard pressed for a few moments to keep up with the Shadowblack quickly. Elsa dove under Sutris assault, the ice walls shattering and disappearing, one down one to go. She blocked and parried before striking when she saw an opening, moving as quickly as she was able Elsa moved and angled Sutri between herself at the chasmed area of the floor with the broken stairway below.

Their weapons locked again, sheer rage burned in her face but Elsa kept her sword up and defenses ready. Finally she saw her opening and jolted her arms, pushing Sutri backwards before bringing up a closed fist that sprang open, ice flowed from around Elsas arm towards Sutri's upper body in a gust of strong wind.

Sutri wasn't counting on Elsa being able to keep up once the pole-arm sword was broken, but kept up her assault until that hand came barreling towards her face. Leaning back out of the way, expecting a spike to emerge from Elsa's palm, the Dragon lost her balance and fell, her face deformed with shock as the icy wind helped push her back. Silence filled the area as she dropped, eventually grabbing onto something with a pained cry as it buckled under the momentum and her arm almost ripped itself off.

Elsa stepped back, Sutri's daggers hit the broken wood floor before her. Elsa was tempted to kick the weapons away but instead she turned and fled the area as fast as she could. She didnt want to stick around. She'd heard nothing from Mark since the fight happened. her sword disappeared into thin air as she bolted out of the maze back the way she had come. Leaving the twins in the ancient chamber as quickly as she could.

With a grunt, Sutri managed to pull herself up again, having to basically crawl up with her bare hands, which were already sore from holding the daggers so tightly during the fight. She sighed and flopped over the edge onto her back, her hand hitting something...cold. Looking, she screamed to find it was her brother, still alive, but freezing slowly. Jr turned to look at his sister, somehow an annoyed scowl still on his face. "You're fucking loud..."

"Yea yea and you're dying...let's get home..." she retorted, grabbing him and creating a shadow big enough for the two of them to their home, where their father would greet them with mixed emotions.

 **Moments Later**

Elsa exited the massive buiklding after, briefly, twice, getting lost and all but ran into her second in cvommand, a older man named, oddly,. Maroon. The older black haired man seemed calm about things, never lifting a finger to fight, yet the shadow creatures and Templars alike kept their distance from him skillfully. Elsa stepped over to him as she surveyed the damage done to the subden and the area as a whole. A dozen men injured, countelss dead civilains, and shadow creatures along with templars. But of the Assassins assigned to her, only one was hurt. Mark made sure to give only the best to aid her in defending the North Subden "How'd we do ?"

"A dozen men and one Assassin, No deaths, destruction of various buildings..." Maroon replied calmly rattling off a list. "After you went off into that alley something came out of it and everything just went crazy out here in the streets. We also got a radio hail from Master Wolfe, he wanrs of deadly crossfires in the buildings. We're sitting ducks if we stay here my Lady"

Elsa nodded "Take whatever weapons our men can carry and have the injured taken to the Castle now. Any man able to still stand and fight grab extra gear and supplies, we're going to the man den and there may be fighting on the way." Elsa said. Maroon nodded and relayed her orders then gave her the radio. Keying it like Mark showed her she spoke "Mark ?"

" _Elsa, I'm here, did you get my last call ?_ "

"I did, we're on our way, there's nothing left here..." Elsa said, she sounded.,... somewhat tired. Mark didnt bother to ask.

" _How many did you lose ?_ " Came Marks question

"None, thirteen to injuries however." Elsa replied, she made the order then to fall back to the Main den at that moment. "We're on our way."

" _Be careful, from what I can see down here the Templars are using the buildings to create deadly crossfires that not even my own armor can withstand against_ " Mark replied Elsa smiled and handed the radio back to Maroon, the older man nodded and dutifully took his place at the queens side

 **Arendelle**

 **Arko District**

 **Main Den**

 **At that same moment**

Kuru heard, along with Asaca that Elsa was on her way with injured, but thankfully, like Mark, no deaths were reported. Just injuries sent to the Castle. Kuru nodded to Asaca and briefly took her leave, speaking to a few of the healers present, roughly half of them departed the district, the rest remained. of those that left, half of them went to the Castle itself to await the injured sent there, the other half went to Roughwater District to tend to the wounded there.

Asaca stood near Mark. This wasnt going well. Not well at all. "Do you think he will come ?" She meant Matthew, Mark couldnt keep secrets from Asaca, there was no way, she was too good. In a way she was similar to Blackmane

"If he doesn't, more of us are going to die than needed..." Mark said, staring at the courtyard through the window. He was silent for a moment. "There's a very small chance for victory...honestly, if it weren't for that one chance, I'd have us pull out and consolidate our strength. and just take the district again..." he said calmly. He looked down in thought for a moment, before sighing. "Set up all defenses, anyone who can hold a rifle needs to be ready."

Asaca nodded, if Matthew was indeed there, they'd need his help. but then there wasnt much even he could do. Leaving the room Asaca stood aside to allow Snowfeather to enter, the women traded looks, Asaca nodded, Snowfeather half smiled. Stepping to her son her voice heard clearly. "Well met she still lives after so long" Wait Snowfeather knew Asaca ? Well duh, only Light herself knew exactly how old Snowfeather and her twin sister were. Then again Light wasnt sure either as the two Tigris had been through two world wars and six revolutions as it was. Behind Mark was a bookcase packed with old books. Standing at it Snowfeather acted as if she was looking for something.

"Elsa is safe, as is the castle, your sisters are looking into better ways to defend the castle if things fail here." Snowfeather said finding a pair of old books, a rotted black ribbon holding them together by last threads of magic thinner than even a silk thread or even that of a spiders silk thread. Gently lifting out the two books from the shelf Snowfeather didnt dare try to open them. Not understanding the writing on either book. Which Mark could read clearly on the black book rather than the rotted mildewy red book.

The title one of the two books Mark could easily read. _"An Account of Diadem Wolfe, as noted down by her mother Yaeko, and dear Queen Arienel of Arendelle"_ The ancient ribbon's magic finally broke upon touch, allowing Mark to see the title of the mildewy red journal, written clearly in Draconic which thanks to Kalda, let him read it clear as if it were Arabic or even Hebrew _"The Journal of Diadem Wolfe"_

Mark took each book and read their titles, putting them within his jacket, and turned towards his adoptive mother. "I've got a very bad feeling about this battle...but we can't leave, not while there's a chance of winning." he said with another side.

"There is a chance" Snowfeather said simply, "Be it a fools chance, or a snowballs chance in hell, there is a chance." She turned back to the shelves of books, "I will get these books out of here before fighting reaches here, everything else in the other dens have been cleasred out before th fighting with minimal supplies to run things at the subdens"

It was then that Princess Fang entered with Wezaki by her side, Mark could then see clearly the two worked together, one healing the other. Thanks to Kaldas journal he knew, somewhat, of what Doves could do, but he had no real clue what Wezaki could do, Then again if those twelve dead men in the other building were any indication of what a Dove could do when pissed off. Mark knew better than to get on her bad side.

But then again he hadnt seen either woman in three years.

He narrowed his eyes a bit as they entered. "Ladies. To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked as they moved towards him. His eye twitched, he was still in pain it seemed, but was hiding it well. He looked to Fang, and tilted his head. "Been a while since I seen you. What have you been up to?" He asked calmly.

"It has." Fang replied as Wezaki smirked. Trust Mark to have the memory of kelp when it came to working with somebody only moments before! Fang motioned to two, apparently women by the look of them, between them they carried, amazingly gently, Ulnaus, an arrow in one wing unable to fly. "We found him in the south subden area. we fought off a bunch of templars who wanted to carve him up and got him here as fast as we could"

Wezaki muttered something, it sounded a lot like bird talk, the two women gave her dirty looks before she shut up towards the two and looked towards Kuru, who nodded, the two women relented and let the Dove Healer to the massive injured Eagle to heal the wound. Her hands glittered a bit as she moved to the arrow lodged in a wing, working quickly yet gently she removed the arrow and begain healing magics at the injured spot

"It seems keeping eyes in the air wont do, will it ?" Fang asked. Her own featers were stronger than Ulnaus, yet could she too withstand the recent technology increase the Templars had ?

Mark blinked as he saw Ulnaus. He was the size of a car, how on earth was he being carried? Shaking his head he moved over to the bird. "Ulnaus you blasted fool..." He muttered as he moved his hand to the arrow, clicking his tongue before looking at Kuru and, rather carefully, pulling the Arrow out in a way so that it didn't cause any more damage than it already had. He then cupped the bird's beak and looked him in the eyes. "Behave yourself or the nice lady will kick your ass." He said, as if talking to a child, giving a smile to Kuru before turning back to the window, looking at the Arrow in his hand. An Obsidian Arrow-head. Interesting. Leave it to the Templars to use their best arrows on a mere bird. Idiots.

Sighing he put the arrow down and leaned against the desk behind him, his hands going to his face as he let out a long, slow breath and paused. For once, it seemed, he had no clue what to do. He was lost. If he waited any longer it'd be too late to pull everyone out of the district, but if he didn't wait and kept everyone where they were, they'd likely lose the district anyway.

"Son of a fucking bitch..." he growled, the annoyance with the situation thick in his voice. He turned to look at Fang. "What would you do in this situation?"

"We cannot trust the parrots, it was what got us in this situation" Fang mused as Kuru and Wezaki got to work healing Ulnaus, the massive bird brought down by a single arrow of obsidian made zero sense.

"The one thing we can trust, so far, is that it is daylight" Snowfeather spoke up, she'd been going through the bookshelf, using a transportation array she transported books from the shelf to safety in the Marketplace den. Though many of them she herself couldnt hold to try to even decern or translate if that.

"Yes, we cannot trust the shadows to aid us like we used to" Fang said with a nod. "Those shadow things that attacked you and Lady Asaca I have encountered a few times in my travels" She leaned against a pillar in the den watching the two raven haired women holding, strangely so, Ulnaus aloft while Wezaki and Kuru healed the massive bird. Fang had heard, briefly, what the bird was called, a Frod Probe, those things were Hovercars, racing rigs in certain places

Finally Fang nodded after a quiet moment as word fuiltered through that Elsa and her units were sighted and getting closer with Templars on their trail. "We consolidate, Split the squads to the west and east, to hold the bridges there should things go bad here. We can transport out of here with portals or... those things" Fang said pointing at Snowfeathers transport array she was tossing books by the armful into. Fang was used to portals, a cloud of steam, like fog to dive into, and reappear at the intended destination

Mark cupped his chin and nodded. The current positions of his men defending the place, providing an excellent crossfire over the courtyard could use more cover...but there was no time. "Elsa, once your men are through, form a wall with your Ice, slow the Templars down while we get your men healed and ready to keep fighting..." he said over the radio to her, hoping she'd hear him.

"These men aren't trained for combat like this...The Templars have outside help, that is clear." he sighed. "They're no U.S. Marines, but they're good. Almost as if...the CIA were involved again..." He gritted his teeth and clenched his hands into fists, the knuckles cracking from that alone. "I'm going to feed the next CIA Agent I see his throat." He grumbled.

"The who ?" Fang asked. Who were the CIA ? Fang neverh eard of the group before, mostly used to Enclaves and the like. The Parrot Enclave trust them to stir shit where it shouldnt have been. She turned as the two ravens suddenly set Ulnaus on trhe floor, gently, as to not harm him further when he started struggling to get out of the two female birds grasp. Itty bitty ravens... ha not really. carrying a much larger bird. Then again Abel and Siv were huge for Ravens. After all fr9om the family of Ravenese... Fang waved a hand asd word filtered of ice forming on the roads and templars freezing their feet off. "So now it comes to this..."

Fang was cut off as Elsa stepped into view, the soldeirs with her, the worse for wear had their injured at their core, dozens upon dozens of men surrounded the injured, guarding them as they moved rapidly down the street, Elsa at their head. Finally at the Main Den the men took the injured to the Healers and the trest took their rank and file in the street. Elsa, Mark could see, looked... slightly battleworn, her armor broken in many places to the point wherein she discarded most of it during the fighting. "Did I miss anything ?" Apparently she had as she never formed the wall, just a overfrozen street.

"Just that dumb-ass getting shot with this thing." He said to Elsa, handing her the Obsidian-tipped Arrow while nodding to Ulnaus and shaking his head. He tapped his Radio twice, the signal to open fire on the Templars, and the men in their stations did so, and Templars began dropping like flies. "And an ice floor, apparently." he said. Mark turned and set his hand on Elsa's shoulder, thumb gently tracing her Collar Bone before he spoke. "You had a connection to Matthew, right? You were close? Could you sense him?" He asked, an urgent tone to his voice. "If he doesn't show up we're screwed and we're all likely going to die, well, you won't you're too important, but the rest of us Assassins? Can't say." he said.

Mark could feel through the touch that she had been in a straining battle of some form. Wait un til she told him when this was over. Surely the ice had recordings of it like Matthew had taught her. "its been a long time" Elsa said, Fang stood at attention as too did the two Ravens with her as Wezaki finished healing Ulnaus

"I am not sure if I could sense him close, I mean, seeing how he fought when he first returned and protected Anna and I.,... I just knew it was him," Elsa said, she took a deep breath, her heart still hammering, instinct took over and she briefly ducked as gunfire rang out. "But wuold he fight anew against enemies armed with these ?" She dropped Jr's sword on the floor, the ice encasment shattering like glass. The shadows boiled around the blade on the floor.

To that question not even Snowfeather had an answer... The question on everyones mind however was who the owner of that deadly blade was.

 **Arendelle**

 **Unknown District**

 **At that same moment**

It was first the runt carrying Nasty that unnerved their father, but it wasnt until Sutri arrived carrying Jr fireman style, all four went through a good fight each for sure, yet it was the condition of the son and daughter that was the most concerning. After handing off Nasty to Winstin and helping her brother into bed also to be cared for by Winstin, the two girls stood near to their father awaiting his next order as he brooded over the shadow map updating in real time of holographic shadows showing the enemy forces consoldiating their forces to the centeral area.

"Your reports?" Draco asked not turning his head to look at his daughters.

Sutri started. "Well, father...We weren't able to kill the Queen, but we did drive her from the sub-den. She managed to injure Jr pretty bad, i'm...okay. The rest of the Assassins are all at the Main Den in the center of the District...they have no where to run anymore."

"And Taris?" Draco still didn't turn.

"We were unable, like Sutri and Jr, to kill the bodyguard, he was near to killing Nasty, but something made him pause in doing so when he was about to stab her through the heart." Taris sighed, "I jack-hammered him into a building and left him, taking Nasty here when she insisted we leave. Zendu reported the Shadows successfully drove him from the subden" The worst injuries Taris got were raw skinned knuckles

Draco finally turned and looked at his daughters with a shrewd eye. Narrowing said eyes he looked over them, and walked over to taris, lifting her hand and examining it, as well as the other one. "Your knuckles are Shattered..." He said, his own brand of Healing Magic flowing into her body to rectify the damage before the adrenaline wore off. "Which means I can assume he is wearing Duradaeden armor...Interesting." he turned to look at Sutri, cupping her chin and turning her head from side to side "Your lungs are about ten hours away from flooding with blood...and collapsing...what did you do?" he said, pumping healing magic into her body as well.

He shook his head. "Well, they're not dead...but they are injured and cannot run...so they might as well be dead..." He turned and considered the facts for a moment. "I'll call this a minor victory and a successful mission for you four. Now go and rest tend to your brother and sister, Nasty especially, she's half dead already." he grumbled, waving them off.

He looked over the battle map again and blinked. "Send them in. Demolish Everything." He said to the Duke, who sat across the table, cloaked in shadow.

 _"With pleasure"_ Came ther reply from the shadowy 'hologram' of the Duke.

Moments later all hell broke loose as Draco watched on the map the Templars and Shadows alike converged on the only light spot in the district. Allowing Draco a brief moment of accomplishment, his four offspring had finally completeled a mission properly, as a team. Something that had been a very long way in coming.

 **Arendelle**

 **Arko District**

 **At that same moment**

It went to absolute hell. Elsa had made the ice walls, but they held for scant moments after getting put up before getting outright demolished. Almost instantly as the group exited the main den, right into Dracos plan of attack, everything was going to absolute shit which then devided their numbers greatly, they couldnt pair off, as Snowfeather had just gotten the last few books safely out of the den.

The day was going to FUBAR faster than Mark thought possible, Matthew was gone, he wasnt coming back, or was he ? The Den Defense was a shambles, and lives were being lost around him as he fought his way through the mob towards where Elsa stood her ground, with her a woman named Fang whom Mark had met only three years before when renovating the Dojo. He had seen Fang take care of the gangmembers

And now seeing her defending Elsas, the two women back to back, surrounded by Templars, Fang using nothing but a battlefan with bladed edges, and Elsa using her twin swords of ice stood their ground well. For brief moments Mark was lost in the throngs of battle

At least until the roar was heard

From a rooftop two women appeared, one fired a few shots off from her daggerlike weapons before jumping from the roof while the other just hopped off the roof and transformed in purple and brown mist into a massive four hundred pound Benga Tiger. At the roar, everything stopped

For only fleeting seconds before it resumed. the ground shook under Marks feet as he spotted his aunt, Blackmane on a rooftop, her hands held towards her sides; he saw rock and stone floating around her hands as the ground under his feet shook madly with a energy quake

The battle for Arko had just begun

Calling upon his Sword and Armor once more, Mark even donned a Phoenix Cloak of Light-Fire, turning himself into a nigh-unstoppable juggernaught against these simple men and Shadows, though even he had limits, and there were iso many/i. His Phoenix Cloak would vanish after only a few hits, and He'd resort to crushing them with Gravity for short periods of time. He lost track of how many people he killed in the first five minutes of the battle alone, but it wasn't doing any good. They just kept coming, and he was beginning to tire to the point where his entire body was sore. He'd not had to work this hard in years. A Decade, even. But stil he fought, having been backed into a literal corner by himself, he narrowed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He could feel the bloodshed around him. Templars and Shadows, ganging up on the Assassins ten to one, impaling, slashing, mauling, shooting, even sexually assaulting them before killing them there in the streets, leaving their bodies for the rest to see, dragging some bodies off to the side into a pile, which he could smell was being covered in Kerosine.

 _"Call for the birds, I'll enchant your voice."_ Kalda said as a sword bounced off Mark's breast plate. Spinning, Mark slashed that Templar's belly open and pursed his lips, letting out a long, loud whistle, the magic of which was thick in the air as it echoed. The Templars around him paused as Mark made various, monstrously Loud Bird Calls.

"What the fuck?"

"Is he retarded?"

"Stupid?"

"Both?"

"Hey guys you know my little brother is that way come on"

"Fuck off Jeremy"

"Guys we got a bigger problem."

"What? Oh..."

Suddenly a massive swarm of birds that would make even Alfred Hitchcock have a heart-attack of fright swarmed the plaza. Swallows, Sparrows, Parrots, Eagles, Hawks, Doves, Ravens, even a few Sea-Gulls came. Immediately they swarmed the Templars, pecking and scratching at their faces and eyes. The Screams of the Templars allowed for the Assassins to regroup and form outward -facing circles to fight in, an effective strategy used by barbarians of old against the Romans, no flanks, no worries.

Eventually, however, the birds would soon fall, either flying off or being cut down by the Templars, gunfire, or the Shadows set loose by Draco, and a knot made its home in Mark's throat. "God dammit...it's not enough..." he growled as the Templars began to swarm the Assassins again, falling in droves just to kill one hooded savior of Arendelle, drag the body off, and light it on fire.

The smell of Napalm even graced Mark's nose as Templars brought in Troops with Flame Throwers from the second World War. It was never the screams that would haunt Mark after this day, it was the Silence afterwards. Throwing knives like a mad man, the fuel tanks exploded and engulfed dozens of Templars at once, incinerating them instantly.

"We need to get out of here...we're going to die..." Mark said as he dispatched another four Templars at once with a rake of his claw.

Snowfeather stepped out of the main den's foyer, her sword soaked in blood, her normally beauytiful white robes were tainted deep blood red from slaying one too many enemies. For all intents even Snowfeather was soaking wet in blood, and what had to be water because the building was on fire and there were two broken pipes spraying water like rainfall aroudn them. Without even blinking Snowfeather brought up her sword and nailed a Templar dead in the eye the sword, unearthly Tigris steel sliding deep and through the dead mans head slid free as she brought it down on a shadow creature aiming to tackle her.

Elsa, back to back with Princess Fang, had once more put her swords twogether into one longer polearm, though it briefly made it hard for Fang to keep track of its movements until Fang figured out what to do and got the pair spinning, moving towards he center of the courtyard. The roar of a tiger briefly stopped the fighting nearest to Mark as a massive paw slammed into the Templar about to take him down from the side. Serenity stepped into view, her twin swords a blur of motion both to keep tyhe Templars down, and to keep the shadows at bay. "Are you alright ?"

Gunfire rang out across the district and peopel screamed, Templar and Assassin alike targets of the Shadows as birds swarmed over the district in a flock of color of various types of birds that made even the largest migrations of birds appear as a small flea.. the ground shook madly as Blackmane stood on the rooftop generating energy quakes in the ground. Asaca fired lightfire in short buirsts but it wasnt working. She and those with her, msotly healers and some soldiers, were driven back towards Roughwater, the Doves themselves were drven out usuing portals to get the injured to safety of the castle

Elsa and Fang though stilling spinning moved towards Mark, as well as the center fountain of the district. However the closer the two got to the fountain the more shadows they encountered until the two had to split apart to fight different shadows, in some cases their own. It gave an entirely new meaning to the term, 'Shadowboxing' in which case the shadows fought back. Elsa stepped up to mark, stabbing the Templar about to stab him with her ice sword through his heart, the man shattered like glass. "Mark! Come on, Snowfeatyhers opening a path out and Blackmane just got knocked off a roof." It was true, as Elsa and Fang worked their way towards thecenter, Blackmane had been knocked from the roof, of course on her way down she opened a transport array and fell into her own bed.

Before Mark could answer however a voice broke out over his radio, "Stop looking like sitting ducks and get on the fountain!' Everyone else that could get out got out. all that were left was Elsa, Fang and Mark. But whose voice was that ? it didnt matter Elsa grabbed Marks hand and the two ran as Templars and Shadows started fighting each other and completely ignored Mark and Elsa as Fang climbed onto the fountain kicking occasainlly at Templars.

With the three of them on the fountain Fang was hard pressed with her feathers to keep the shadows at bay when the cry of something above, like a driving wind slammed into the three of them. Strong arms herld onto the thing while Fang jheld onto Matthews legs. As Matthew flew off, a Shadowling, Nymeth, smirked and raised her arm, a shadowy bolt of energy shot from it, like a crossbow bolt. Matthews body went briefly stiff at the shot slamming home at the small of his back, the shadows going to work instantly.

 **Wham** went Fang into the top of the castle guardhouse at the gates. **thud, thump** went Elsa and mark hitting the icerink of the courtyard and sliding a bit. **SPLASH** went Matthew slamming into the fountain and briefly gurgling as three massive birds, rather one massive bird and two Ravens riding on his back landed nearby, Ulnaus started preening as the twin raven females ran to Matthews side and pulled him from the fountain.

Mark coughed as he landed, skidding to a halt before finally stopping against the fountain. "Elsa..." He was interrupted by a coughing fit. "Call in the Eagle to decimate the District. Open Fire...all cannons, give them everything...there's nothing else we can do." he said, coughing again before looking to Matthew, something telling him to not touch him at all costs. The Shadows were spreading fast. "Once you do that..." he coughed again. "I think its time you say good bye..." he stood his armor fading until it was only his left gauntlet, and then that fading as well.

Elsa slowly sat up, clutching her head, her ears rang with the sounds of the fighting. Her vision swam from the rough landing. It was bad enough that the rushing wind, and flight, as brief as it was, took the wind out of her. She felt as if she wantedtio wake up fro mthe nightmare. Elsa blinked, her vision slowly clearing as she turned to Mark, what ? her ears were still ringing. Then she saw Matthew getting pulled from the fountian, wings of ice upon his back breaking apart into inkblack sludge that faded into nothing "Matthew!"

Elsa scrambled to her feet as the two Ravens dragged the poor man, Old Man Winter himself, out of the fountain, Matthew looked pale. Paler than normal. Then sbhe saw the shadows creeping on his skin and dared not touch him as the two Ravens let go and bacxked off, their own powerful magics fighting in vain against the corruptive deadly shadows that were killing Matthew. Matthew smiled. "Dont worry about me, Elsa, you've done more than I could teach you this day. Go. save your kingdom."

Elsa vaugly felt Mark pressing his radio into her hands to contact the Whitesparrow, Diana was aboard, with her was Serenity. the latter of which was heard cleary on the device _"Whats going on back there ? Mother sent me back here when the Shadowboxing match started."_ It was clear she was unhappy

Elsa grit her teeth, She pressed the radio back to Mark unknowingly pressing the key to speak into the thing as she spoke to Mark, "End it, finish the fight." She sank to her knees before Matthew as the life left his eyes.

 _ **On the Whitesparrow**_

Serenity lowered the radio, almost scared of what she just heard, Elsas voice rang clearly however, the real time map showed the entire district in blood red. Were they to destroy the entire place ? Seeing her the spotter on duty spoke "ma'am, we await orders, the other ship is leaving the harbor, do we fire upon it ?"

Serenity stood there but a moment longer, "No. Ready a full broadside of everything we have. I must speak to Diana" Serentiy said. The man nodded and took his leave. Serentiy left the cabin, Diana, or rather Marion, had been watching the smaller ship as it suddenly up and left. Serenity stepped up to her, normally the fair skinned Egyptian woman was in a good mood, but this time she looked flat out scared, a pale hue of white to her skin, unlike any other normal time.

Marion bit her bottom lip. They'd lost... "Load everything." she growled. She hated firing on Arendelle's buildings, but there was nothing left to do, the only ones left in the district are Templars now. "Fire at Will!" She shouted.

It was then that the first full broadside went off. For the next full hour, the Whitesparrow unloaded the entirety of her magazine stores on Arko, by the time the stores were empty, over half of the Distrct was gone. The buildings were demolished, the bodies were obliterated, and the main den was in shambles. That would leave it very easy for the Assassins to take it back soon, once their numbers were replenished and morale was high once more.

 **In the Courtyard**

Mark was silent as he stared at the Whitesparrow unloading her guns onto Arko. This was his failure. He was tasked with defending Arko, he failed, he should have fought and died there. Every innocent or Assassin Life lost from that battle was on his head, and he lowered his head in shame. While Elsa mourned for her teacher, Mark sighed, stopping at her side to put a reassuring hand on her shoulder for a moment. After that, though, he moved on, and vanished into the Castle without a word.

Elsa never looked up as Anna exited the castle when the cannon fire rained hell on Arko distrct, nothing was left by time the ship ran out of ammo, which took a very long time in and of itself to do. By the time the cannonfire ended and the swivel guns rained hell on the remaining gunpowder stores the Tempalrs had set up, over ninety six percent of the district was destroyed or in ruin

Fang clawed her way over the gate as a stray cannonshot slammed into the guard post, which thankfully was empty. She never saw Mark leave so quietly or quickly from a fight before. The many doves worked hard as Assassins laid in rows to be healed, many didnt seem to look good or even alive as they heard everything and saw the thick smoke pouring from the district as the cannonfire rained on the district

Elsa never looked as the Whitesparrow unleashed her payload. Instead she simply watched as Matthews body slowly broke apart into broken ice and sludge.

But one pair of eyes saw it all. Saw her nephew go into the castle, his back to the fighting. stealing away as was her skill unseen she snuck off into the castle by way of an open window. Nobody, not even her niece saw her sneak away as Serena was being tended to by Kuru, the Dove Healer in command of the Healers at that moment.

 **Within the castle**

 **Moments later**

The sounds of cannonfire and explosions faded the deeper one went into the castle. Blackmane didnt have to look far to find her wayward nephew. She found him, of all places, in the throne room staring at the painting of Elsa's parents "I was expecting to find you in the library" She said simply, when no answer was fourthcoming she sighed "It isnt your fault. You did what you could and our men are out of there, those that survived outnumber those that fell thanks to the Healers."

Mark was silent still, lowering his head again. As Blackmane opened her mouth to speak again he moved, turning his head towards her. "How many?" he paused. There was tremendous strain in his voice as he tried to keep himself calm. "How many...dead? Under MY COMMAND!" He snapped, turning towards her. It was possible she'd not seen anyone this angry in a long time.

"How can I face them? They looked to me for command and I let them down." He growled out. He turned to the window and walked towards it; the sun was setting. "How many men and women won't get to see this ever again because of my failure?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Blackmane went quiet. Finally she took a deep breath and let it out. "Seven, all of them however, children. The healers were ambushed leaving towards Roughwater. Shadows split them from the children and forced them to flee. There was nothing they could do." Blackmane said, "of the men and women under your command we lost only four. "Blackmane counted on her fingers as she spoke " One to shadows, two to crossfires, and one to a collapsing building."

She looked ot her nephew "They are in the Eatheral Realm now. They are not in pain. For all we know they are looking at us from their own sunset and wondering how we fare without them." As Mark turned away she spoke. "Things die, to be born is to begin to die, you know this. No matter what happens, over time, it will be time to leave this realm. You know this. Why do you seek to change it ?"

"I don't seek to change it...I can't. ..." he paused. "Why is it so easy to take a life, but hard to lose one?" he asked her, turning to stare her in the eyes. "Why has no one ever addressed that issue? Why can I kill a man while looking him in the eyes, knowing full well his family isn't going to see him again, but when some one I know, on my side, my family dies, it's so hard? I...I need to leave." he turned and started for the door that would eventually in time lead him to his bedroom.

He didn't expect to be followed, but he spoke anyway. "I can't stay here knowing that I caused 11 families to never see their children again." He rambled off as he walked like his boots were on fire out of the throne room and into the hall.

As Mark turned to leave Blackmane stood in his path. Her black eyes glittered as he spoke. "Answer that question and you are king of the earth. But until then do not blame yourself for what transpired, It was Elsa who called the Whitesparrow to attack when the District was lost, do not blame yourself for the loss of it. I for one do not blame you for feeling the loss. Those four you lost under your command may put a black mark on your record yes, but it wont end your own love of life!" She said.

When he made to move around her she held her hand up, barring his path briefly. "Leave ? Are you insane ? Where would you go ? What would you do ?" Then she remembered and with her arm briefly blocking his way she removed from her other sleeve a folder. "here, take this" it was a contract, to Madrid Spain "The den defense went ill in Arko I agree and I do not lay blame on you for it one bit"

"If you leave tonight, under cover of full dark, no light whatsoever I can get you aboard a ship out of Trensek down south without raising an alarm. But either way you have to go and you have to go sooner than later, going back to your room will only raise alarm or even alert Elsa that you went there, it will be the first place she will look outside of the library." Blackmane was thinknig rapidly, it wasnt going to be easy but it could work. "Take a teransport array to my bedroom and wait there for me. Under no circumstances are you to leave my bedroom in our Den in the marketplace. understand, I will speak to Elsa and say you had a contract to see to, and then meet you there. From there we will got to Trensek for the ship to get you out of the country."

Mark's fists balled as she stopped him but he listened to her through his gritted teeth. After she finished explaining he let out a quick breath and closed his eyes for a second, crossing his arms as well as he thought. "Fine...I'll get my stuff from my room, then head to yours..." he said, taking the file from her. He opened a transport array behind him to his room and paused, biting his bottom lip, he'd tell her later. Stepping through the array, he vanished to his room, packing what he knew he needed. Extra clothes, an extra cloak, his Gun and Holster, and a few other essentials. It would seem like was only leaving for a couple of days on a Contract to clear his head.

He wouldn't come back for a lot longer than that. Moving through another Array, he found himself in his Aunt's Bedroom, one of the only times he'd seen it ever, let alone in Arendelle. It was nothing special. Practice Dummy, armor and weapon racks, a bed, wardrobe. A painting of... someone, on the wall, and a chair. He sat in that chair and closed his eyes. After a minute, he opened them and looked to the painting again, the baby in the woman's arms... looked familiar. He couldn't put his finger on it though. He'd ask Blackmane when she got there, or just before he left.

Blackmane turned and left the throne room, heading towards the courtyyard she ran well, almost walked into Elsa who was being lead by Anna to the dining room for something to eat but Elsa was having none of it, wanting to find Mark. "Mark is lost, his mind is... a mess, he needs to clear his head, so I sent him on a contract out of Arendelle, Dont worry, he's fine." Elsa started to protest before Blackmane simply lifted a black fingerless gloved hand towards the queen and a second later the woman sagged in her sisters arms as two guards came rubnning up "Take Elsa to bed, she too needs time to clear her head over what happened today, and from what thje healers said, she needs the rest else her lungs give out completely"

"Yes ma'am" the guards said helping take Elsa upstairs to bed as Anna briefly gave Blackmane a look,, maybe Elsa was right in not trusted the raven haired woman , yet there was something of sadness in Blackmanes eyes

So rather then berate the woman Anna said simply "Thank you" She then left the Tigris to herself. Blackmane then left the castle, and as darkness came upon the kingdom she headed off into the night, swiftly transforming into a black panther and darting through the ruins of Arko that still smoldered with ash thick in the air

 **Arendelle**

 **Marketplace Assassin Den**

 **Moments later**

Blackmane shifted form in the alley before stepping into vierw, her black robes glittered with dew and stank of ash as she entered the courtyard before entering the building. She tossed her key on the table and went stopping in the bathroom she undeed her hair, the jade clasp let her long black hair loose and wild. She took a deep breath. and grabbed up a comb before moving towards the door to her bedroom. where Mark waited by the desk.

Stepping inside she hit the light, activating the digital lights along the floor and ceiling Blackmane used the comb through her hair as she sat down. "Elsa is resting, I... had to knock her out. She insisted on speaking to you. but Anna wanted to get her to eat something, but I could tell. I'll have the healers tend to her, Elsa was... on the verge of collapse. Anna thanked me when I thought she'd berate me." She raked the comb through her ink black hair.

Mark looked to his Aunt in silence as she poke, and nodded. He understood. "Who's the woman in the painting?" he asked quietly, nodding to it on the wall. "She looks... familiar, so does the baby." He added calmly. At his feet was a back-pack full of what he'd packed, it was large, had a few pockets, and was enchanted so that it would always pass a security check at any airport or station.

Blackmane continued to brush her hair and looked at ther canvas painting, a soft smile on her otherwise tired face. Finally she set the brush down and looked at the painting, letting out a breath she spoke softly "My mother. The infant in her arms... is me. That painting was done at my fathers request. Your mother has one as well of Mother with her in her arms shortly after birth." She smiled remembering seeing the painting for the first time shortly before their father passed away in a car accident.

"Papa died in a hoverbike accident, or so the police said, but we knew it was the Templars. They staged it like a hoverbike wreck. there was no missing the brand they left." She turned towards Mark "You ask how it is so easy to take a life, and then think of those who will never see who you had slain. You were right in asking me that question. Mother once asked the same thing. I found her... there was no sign of foul play. The doctors said she died of a broken heart, she couldnt bear to live without Papa." Blackmane sighed. Standing from the stool she used she went over to the painting.

"It was a year befoer you came to Snowfeather when we laid Mother to rest beside Papa in Barcelona" She turned towards Mark, "You have the contract, what do you think ? Can you do it ? Track down a high speed team of wreckers and get what they're after before they get it ? By the end of which... you could return here ?"

"Can I do it? Yes. Will I return? ..." he paused. "No. Not for a while. Not until I feel I've righted what I've done wrong..." he said calmly. "The Contract won't take but three days, including the time it takes for me to get to Spain...tell them I didn't make it...I stopped the Templars with my body...and it was too much." he sighed.

"Tell them-Elsa...tell Elsa I died."

"Giving her that kind of news now will only make things much worse than they currently are" Blackmane said, Elsa was resting. Turning she heard the front door open, and voices, Snowfeather and the girls ? Oh shit... "Get your things" She said as she went to her door and set a beadlock on it, sealing the room. Quickly activating a transport array to the docks she grabbed Mark by the hand and fell into the transport array as he picked up his pack.

 _A few seconds later at the docks_

Quickly appearing on the dock near a ship docked for the night but one about to leave. Blackmane's grip was stronger than most anything Mark had gotetn tangled in as the two moved among the people as the Whitesparrow replenished her stores. they were never spotted thanks to Blackmanes natural stealth and their movements before entering another transport array outside of the kingdom at the fearthest dock near the Fjord Gate.

Keeping low the two came to a gangplank of a ship about to ship out. Blackmane held a hand up for Mark to wait, then stepped into view, with her hair loose it was easy to look sexy, and it was not the first time that Makr had seen Blackmane have to use her body to seduce a guy. Easily luring the man away from the gangplank Mark heard a solid CRACK and a thud, followed by shuffling and Blackmane reappeared, with the crewman fireman style, from a transport array. Dumping the man on the dock she hissed softly "get his gear on." She fished out the wallet "i's name's Mattahias Barnaby, Bosun, the Waterliliy. Spanish cruiser. Apparently the time is set to leave in ten minutes"

Mark was finished changing by the time She'd finished going through his wallet and he took it back. "Hope my Spanish isn't too rusty..." He went in for a hug, a solid hug for a few seconds before sighing. "I'm going to miss this place...but I'll be back." He said, a knot forming in his throat as he held back tears. "Give my regards to everyone before I die." he winked before moving quickly to the ship he needed to be on.

He had his own journey now. From Spain, to California. To hell.

Blackmane hugged her nephew tightly before breaking it and letting him up the gangplank as the ships captain came into view counting off things and finishing the loading. As the ship left port she stood there, mark still able to see her int he ever darkneing gloom. Glittering black eyes, like a cat watching him leave. "Be safe..." Blackmane murmered softly

But what nither of them saw was a pair of coal red eyes watching from the shadows...

 **MEMORY SYNC VERIFIED, SEQEUNCE 10 COMPLETED**


End file.
